The Scarlet Knight (On Hold)
by BoomChickaPop
Summary: Edolas is on the brink of annihilation. Prince Jellal must travel to the kingdom of Fiore to wed its next queen in hopes of preventing the invasion he cannot afford. Matters are complicated when the prince is kidnapped and his only hope lies with a band of volunteer misfits. Little does he know, the answer to his prayers may one of his rescuers JeRza. AU. Full bio inside.
1. Chapter 1

_**Guess who's back... back again... it's me! Did you miss me? So I finally have a new story! This time, it's a JeRza fic and if you've read my profile, you know that they are my OTP. So to those of you who are new, Welcome! And those of you who are here from Trust Me, Welcome Back! I hope you all enjoy this new installment! Should be a blast!**_

The Kingdom of Edolas is on the brink of annihilation. With the growing tension of war on the horizon and the dampening economy due to drought, invasion seems imminent. Prince Jellal must travel to the nearby kingdom of Fiore to wed its next queen in hopes of preventing the invasion his country cannot withstand. Matters are complicated when the prince is kidnapped and held for a ransom his country cannot afford to pay. Now, his only hopes lie in a band of misfit volunteers with a mission to extract and return the prince to his fiancée alive in seven days, failure resulting in the destruction of their entire country.

What he doesn't know is that one among the misfits might be the answer to his prayer. One among them might have the power to stop the invasion and restore peace to the lands. Sometimes, fate has a cruel sense of humor. JeRza AU.

Chapter 1: Caelum's Massacre

 _Erza_

The screech of stone against metal squealed in my eardrums as I pushed the smooth rock across the edge of the beautiful longsword I'd just dipped in water to cool off. It was shiny and beautiful, as they all were when I first created them, but it was still blunt. It could do little to no damage at all if I didn't sharpen it all the way. I continued the routine until the edge was sharp enough to cut through my skin if I just grazed it subtly. Grabbing the leather sheath, I slipped the sword into it and propped it up against the others that I'd made recently.

I sighed and tried to work out of the soreness in my neck and shoulders from working nonstop. In the past several days, I'd already completed a dozen brand new longswords ready to be used. I hadn't showered in days and my hands were covered in blisters, cuts, and callouses. As the only trained blacksmith in the village, it was a wonder I didn't hire any more hands to help me with my business. I'd always thought about it, but I could never seem to follow through.

"Excuse me?" I looked up from my work table as the door to my little shop opened, revealing a tall young man in full armor. For a split-second, my hand jerked to one of the swords ready to attack, when I realized that his armor was not black, but silver. This was not a Caelum knight. And he didn't look hostile.

"I'm sorry, we're closed." I said, pulling my hand away from the sword. The soldier pulled his helmet off to reveal a young face with bushy black hair and eyebrows to match.

"I know it's late, and I'm sorry to bother you. I'm looking for Erza Scarlet, the blacksmith?" He tucked his helmet under his arm and gave me a salute, fist over his heart. I sighed and slumped back.

"You're looking at her. How may I help you?" The soldier blinked, then tilted his head.

"You're Erza? The blacksmith?" He asked. I shrugged, used to this kind of reaction. Most people never expected a teenage girl to be a hardcore blacksmith who could make weapons in her sleep. "I'm sorry, I've heard many great things about you, and I was just expecting an old man or something." I shrugged again, glancing at the clock on one of my shelves. The soldier needed to hurry up or I'd be late.

"Well, I'm sorry to bother you, but I've just arrived from the citadel. Prince Jellal has sent reinforcements to protect this village from Caelum knights and my troops and I are in need of new equipment. Could we count on you to have twenty longswords ready by the end of the week?" I lifted my head and narrowed my eyes.

"So the prince has finally gotten off his ass and sent some people to protect us? How noble." I spat. The soldier blinked at my response. "I have forty longswords ready now, and fifteen of them are fresh. I've been making new weapons for weeks now to give to the villagers and the soldiers already posted here. You can help yourself, but I just thought that soldiers from the citadel would have the decency to bring their own weapons."

He blinked again and I sighed in frustration.

"You can pick them up tomorrow. As I said before, we are closed. Thank you for your business." With that, I pulled my brown apron over my head and tossed it in a pile on my desk. The soldier bowed his head awkwardly and walked out of my shop, still bewildered at the response I gave him.

Rolling my eyes, I quickly moved to the black of my shop to rinse my hands, then I pulled my shawl over my shoulders and crept out the back door into the chilly evening air.

Walking through the village always gave me goosebumps, and as I made my way through the small streets, I couldn't help but think about the soldier in my shop. He'd seemed so surprised when I expressed disdain for the prince. Maybe I was thinking too much into it, but it seemed to me like the prince was seen as some sort of god in the citadel. No one seemed to think he was capable of doing any wrong.

Finally, I reached my destination, a small house that broke off from the main road. I quickly rapped on the door and waited, breathing into my gloves. The door opened a crack and I saw the distinct sight of onyx eyes peering through the door. I smiled as the door swung open to reveal a girl of fourteen with long straight black hair and cat like eyes.

"Erza!" She squealed, pulling me into a tight hug. "We were afraid you weren't coming!" I smiled and followed her inside, pulling my shawl off my shoulders. I hung it up on the rack of jackets and kicked off my boots before fully entering the house.

Stepping into the kitchen, I smiled to see a tall, muscular young man bent over the stove. He had jet black hair and deep tanned skin that accentuated every muscle on his body. Today, he was wearing a simple black t-shirt that was obviously one size too small to show off his huge biceps and abdominals.

"Simon! Erza's here!" The girl called, causing the young man to jump, banging his head on the top of the shelves. I stifled a giggle as he turned around in both frustration and amusement.

His scowl morphed into a loving smile almost immediately. The warmth in his eyes immediately made me want to reach for him and snuggle up against him.

"Thanks for that, Kagura." He scolded with a smile. "Now I look like a fool."

"She doesn't have to help with that." I said, placing my hands on my hips. Simon laughed and turned back to the stove to move the pot to let it cool down. Then he turned back to me and walked across the kitchen to give me a hug. I smiled as I was pulled into his warm chest.

We pulled back slightly and I lifted my head to up his as he bent his head closer to mine. When our lips were about to touch, Kagura groaned and covered her face in irritation.

"Can you two please keep the PDA to a minimum while I'm around?" She complained, kicking the chair. I laughed as Simon turned to give his little sister a glare.

"Come on, I haven't seen Erza all day. We have precious time to make up for." Kagura mumbled under her breath as Simon turned back to me. I grinned and cupped his cheeks, pressing my lips to his, much to the chagrin of his sister.

After a good ten seconds of solid kissing, Kagura cleared her throat loudly. I gently pushed Simon away and gave him a look. He sighed and reluctantly pulled himself out of my grasp.

"Okay, okay, we get the message." He said, walking back to the stove.

I joined Kagura at the table and made kissing noises toward her, causing her to angrily throw a napkin at me. I laughed as Simon walked toward us with a steaming pot of something delicious. He began to serve each of us and I breathed in a long waft of the delicious soup before digging right in.

"So guess what happened right before I left the shop today?" I said, slurping up another spoonful of soup. "A soldier from the citadel showed up, asking if I could spare twenty of my longswords for his troops. I guess Prince Jellal finally decided to start caring about us and spared some troops from his personal army."

"Prince Jellal…" Kagura swooned and slurped at her soup with glassy eyes. "He's so dreamy."

"Oh God," I said, slapping my forehead. "I forgot I was in the presence of the president of his fan club." Kagura glared at me as I grinned back, causing Simon to choke on his soup in laughter.

"Every girl in existence is a part of his fan club, except for you obviously. How can you not find him attractive?"

"I'd find him more attractive if he ran his country the way he's supposed to." I muttered, pulling at a piece of bread with my teeth.

"Come on, Erza, cut the boy some slack. His father is ill and he is barely a man. You can't expect much from him. He's still very young. He'll figure it out eventually." Simon said softly, sipping his soup quietly. I rolled my eyes and leaned back.

"Leave it to you to defend him. Why has it taken him so long for him to send troops? We've been anticipating an attack for weeks now. You know the black knights just attacked the village not two miles from here. We're next and it's taken him a hell of a lot longer than it should to do something about this."

Suddenly, a loud shriek from outside shattered the cozy silence in the house. Almost immediately, Simon and I sprang to our feet. I bolted to the door and flung it open, looking around for the source of the scream. The sight that greeted me was not what I was expecting.

The village was in chaos. People were running in all different directions, some with weapons and others with bundles of clothes and food. What was going on?

I yelped as one of the men running dropped to the ground and was unmoving. I realized that he'd been shot with an arrow. I jerked my head to the direction of the arrow and saw dozens of black knights riding through the village, shooting arrows and swinging swords.

Caelum was here. They were here to destroy us.

"Kagura, stay here. Go to your room and stay hidden. Do not come out. We'll be back for you in a few minutes." I heard Simon order as I turned around. Kagura nodded in obedience and quickly gave her brother a tight hug before scampering away.

"We have to go to the shop. There are weapons there. My stuff is there. We have to get out of here." I said in a rush. Simon said nothing and grabbed my hand, pulling me out into the chaos.

We dipped and turned, maneuvering through the fierce battle. I recognized villagers and soldiers alike fighting the black knights with everything they could. The man who'd bought a dagger from me not three months ago chucked a sack of flour at one of the knights before he was brutally skewered by one of their spears. I wanted to scream and go to him, but Simon's hand was tight around my wrist. His calm demeanor kept me from losing my mind. We couldn't worry about everyone in the village. We had to get out while we had the chance.

Finally, we reached the shop. I all but kicked the back door open, scurrying inside. I grabbed three swords and a few daggers, tossing the weapons to Simon who easily caught them and tucked them away. I pushed into my workshop at the back and grabbed my pack that was always prepared, just in case. Then I grabbed the metal box on one of the shelves and opened it to reveal all of my money. I grabbed all the cash and stuffed it into my pack before tossing the box away and throwing the bag over my shoulder.

"Let's go." I said as I came back into the main room. Simon nodded at me and tossed me my sword, which I wrapped around my waist and secured on my belt. I grabbed one of the daggers from him and tucked it in my boot as Simon peered through the back.

"We need to get Kagura and get out before this gets too chaotic." Simon said, taking my wrist again.

I almost shouted at the intensity of the fight. Not only were the black knights killing everyone and everything in their path, but they were ransacking homes, destroying houses and setting fire to the wood. I gasped as a fire arrow landed on the building next to us and set the roof on fire. Simon pulled me along, almost too harshly so I ended up stumbling along.

As we neared Simon's house, I noticed a group of black knights turn toward us and dismount their horses. I pulled on Simon's arm, but he yanked me forward.

"No!" His shrill cry filled my ears and I whipped my head around to see what he was yelling about.

I clamped a hand over my mouth as the bright flames and heat suddenly struck me like a sack of bricks. Simon's house was burning brilliantly with flames so large, it was hard to look at it without feeling my eyes burn. He released my hand and started barreling through the crowd toward his house. I screamed after him, yelling that it was unsafe, that he was going to get himself killed.

I was about to run after him, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw a sword slice toward me. On complete instinct, I grabbed my sword and pulled it out swiftly, blocking the sword that threatened to slice me in two. I looked up into the ferocious eyes of a knight in clad black armor. He had a fire glinting in his eyes and a cool grin on his face. He must have lost his helmet somewhere, but I couldn't worry about that. With one swing of my sword, I pushed him back far enough to regain my balance.

"Who knew Edolas had such pretty flowers in their midst." The man taunted, waving his sword around nonchalantly. "I may just have to keep you." he crooned, running his tongue over his lips. I shuddered.

"Not if I kill you first." I snarled, swinging my sword. He blocked it and laughed loudly.

"She has thorns! Don't worry, we'll clean that right up."

Suddenly, I was surrounded by at least five black nights. I gulped, feeling the panic swell in my chest. One I could take. Two was possible. Three was a reach. But five? I was as good as dead.

They all attacked at once. I yelped, managing to block two swords and dodge the other three. I immediately knew that defense was not going to help me in this situation so I attacked hard. I struck at the one without a helmet and he laughed madly as he parried my strike. I kept attacking swiftly, trying not to let his laughter get to me, when I finally felt my sword connect.

He gasped and stumbled backward, pressing his palm to his cheek where I'd sliced him. The cool amusement was gone, replaced with barely restrained fury. I gulped again as he lunged at me along with the four others who I'd almost forgotten about. I yelped as two of them managed to cut my arms as I was blocking the one without a helmet. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins and was responsible for the lack of pain felt when another sword came out of nowhere and sliced at my chest.

I fell backwards, falling on my butt. I looked up in fear as the five men surrounded me, the one without a helmet grinning evilly. He raised his word and I braced myself for the blow that would ultimately end my life. I squeezed my eyes shut.

The blow never came.

I slowly opened my eyes and gasped as the man without a helmet was launched backward into a pile of rocks, hitting his head and passing out cold. My chest swelled as I saw Simon turn to the other four with nothing but his dagger and attack ferociously. The four tried to stab at him, but even if they did land a strike, he brushed it off like it was nothing. One by one, he sent them flying. One by one, he sent them to their deaths. And all I could do was watch in both awe and horror.

Finally, the knights were defeated and Simon turned to face me. His body was stained with ash and dust and there was a large gash on his chest that was bleeding profusely. I clamped a hand over my mouth at the look on his face. There were wet streaks down his cheeks, telling me he'd been crying, but other than that, there wasn't a hint of sadness in his cold obsidian eyes. His eyes were bright with rage and yet there was a coolness to them that meant he was completely under control, even at that moment.

He walked toward me and kneeled in front of me, gripping my shoulder to examine me.

"You're okay." He whispered gruffly. I gulped, feeling the adrenaline start to fade and the pain start to kick in.

"K-kagura?" I croaked. Simon refused to meet my eyes. The hand over my mouth tightened and I felt the tears well up uncontrollably. "Oh no…" I whispered.

Suddenly, I heard a strange sound, like a muffled thud, and Simon went rigid. His eyes went wide and his eyebrows shot to the top of his head. He started to tremble as he looked right at me.

"S-simon?" I whispered. He didn't answer and fell forward, collapsing on top of me. "Simon!" I grabbed his body to keep him from crushing me and looked over his shoulder. I gasped and almost shrieked in agony, not from what was behind him, but from what was on him.

A huge metal arrow was protruding from his back, embedded in the flesh at near perfect accuracy. The arrow was angled so that there was no doubt about it. It had struck his heart.

"No, _no_!" I pushed him up and rolled him over so he was on the ground on his back. I pushed myself up and hovered over him. "Simon? Simon, _please_ , don't leave me!"

His eyes had gone glassy, the expression of shock still written on his face. I started to sob as I bent over his body and hugged him tight. He didn't respond, he didn't move, he didn't do anything. There was no pulse, no heartbeat. Simon was dead. The only man I knew I could ever love, and the family I always wished I had were dead.

There were dead and I could do nothing but weep at his side, cursing every god in existence for having the audacity to take them away from me.

 ** _Hella dark for the first chapter, so sorry._**

 ** _Leave a review and let me know what you thought!_**

 ** _It's great to back ladies and gentlemen!_**


	2. Chapter 2

**_Chapter two is cocked and loaded. Thanks for the lovely reviews from the last chapter, they meant a lot!_**

Chapter 2: A Marriage Alliance

 _Jellal_

"This is the third report this week."

I gritted my teeth, looking over the map of Edolas. Our citadel was near the southern border and was marked with a small tower figurine. The small black knight figurines around the borders to the north represented the incidences of Caelum kingdom attacking our border patrols. The soldier who was giving me the report pointed to one of the three black knights.

"Rosemary Village on the northern border was attacked last night. Caelum soldiers swept through the village and killed every civilian and every soldier. They burned the village to the ground. There were in total thirteen survivors. Five were villagers and the others were all soldiers. The very same soldiers we sent out to protect the village." He informed me. I clenched my fists and leaned down against the map.

"This is the first time they have every truly destroyed one of our villages. It's only been petty insubordination and taunting until now. Have you heard anything from Caelum's ambassadors? Have they declared war?" I asked through my teeth. The soldier looked away nervously before turning back and straightening his shoulders.

"There has been no talk of war among the proceedings as far as we are concerned. Caelum wants to invade, but the massacre Rosemary village was not meant to declare invasion. If it had been, sire, I think we would be hearing about more casualties."

I shouted in frustration and knocked over the tower figurine.

"This can't keep happening. They can't keep attacking us like this. They are not just crossing into our borders in insubordination, but they are killing our people. They are spilling innocent blood and we can do nothing about it because we don't have the necessary provisions." I sighed and pushed my fingers through my hair. "Send more troops to the northern border. They need more defenses up there."

"But sire, if we take any more soldiers out of the citadel, we will be leaving the fortress defenseless." He protested. I looked up and gave him a hard look.

"We are defenseless either way. Those civilians need our defense and we will send it to them. The citadel can manage. Caelum soldiers won't dare enter the country that deep. Not yet, anyway. They are seeing how we will react. We must respond with strength. Send out the first guard. Tell them that their first priority is the safety of the outlying villages."

The soldier nodded and saluted before leaving me in the conference room.

I wanted to scream at the unfairness of it all. I knew that Caelum was just taunting me at this point. They knew we were at our most vulnerable. With the drought keeping our entire country stretched thin in poverty and the plague that still swept over the rural villages and urban cities alike, we were lucky no one had bothered to invade us yet.

The Caelum kingdom was not the most powerful country in our side of the continent, but they were the most resourceful. In the past decade alone, they'd enlarged their armies tenfold and strengthened their string of allies to the point where they could pretty much invade any country they wanted and they were guaranteed a win.

I supposed this uncanny burst in strength mostly came from the new monarch on the throne. After the death of King Castellan, a personal friend of my father's, his nephew, Lord Zeref of Tartaros, took the throne. King Castellan was not a widower; he had an heir. But as Lord Zeref was made steward to keep the throne for the King's only daughter, there was a tragic fire in the castle that killed the King's wife and daughter. There were rumors that Zeref had all three of them killed, but there was never any proof. Nevertheless, Zeref took reign and Caelum became the power-hungry country it was today.

Because Edolas bordered Caelum, it made us easy targets. Back in the old days, my father could always count on the Caelum kingdom for aid should he ever need it. Now we were lucky if they left us in peace for a week. I knew better than anyone that something didn't change drastically in the next few weeks, Caelum would declare a full-on war. And I knew that Edolas would have a zero to no chance in winning.

"Your Highness?" I was pulled out of my thoughts from a voice at the door. I turned around to see a female servant with a blue sash, telling me she was from my father's quarters. "His Majesty has requested to see you."

I all but jerked up and tried to smooth the wrinkles in my shirt out. "Of course," I said quickly. She curtsied slightly and stepped outside, waiting for me to follow.

I took a breath and strode to the door to follow her out. Most of the servants in the castle wore color-coded sashes as identification. My servants wore gold for the Prince Regent and my father's all wore royal blue sashes for His Imperial Majesty. I tried to picture my father in his quarters, full of life and as healthy as an ox. It had been weeks since I'd seen him that way. Ever since he'd been struck with the plague, his health had been slowly deteriorating. The once strong and wise king had been diminished to a frail old man.

My fears were confirmed when the servant opened the door to his chambers to let me in. I couldn't even see my father's face when I stepped inside and eyed the huge bed, but I could see the lump of his body shaking and rising and falling in rapid breaths. I made my way next to him and struggled to keep a straight face as he turned to look at me. He was paler than the morning. His brown hair had greyed significantly and I almost cringed at the sight of the crusts around his eyes.

"My… son?" He croaked, lifting a shaky green hand. I grasped it tightly and leaned in closer so he could see me better.

"I'm here, father." I assured him, pressing my cheek to his palm. He coughed a bit and turned over in his bed.

"I wanted to… to tell you not to worry so much." He tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. "Don't put too much pressure on yourself. You are not alone. I will… I will get better. We will figure this out…" He trailed off into a fit of coughing. "… together…" he managed to finish, before rolling over and pulling his hand out of my grasp. I sighed and pulled the blankets further up his body.

He could only say so many words in a day, so I knew it would be best to leave him be for now. I turned around and began to ask the servant how much he'd eaten, if he asked to stand at all, if he'd been to the bathroom, if she was regularly giving him water. She assured me that she was doing everything she could and that I should take his words to heart. I brushed the last piece of advice away and stalked out of the room, significantly more sour than I had been when I'd walked in.

As I stepped back out into the hallway, I noticed my father's chief adviser, Gildarts, striding down the hall with his back ramrod straight as usual. Over the last few weeks, I had basically taken over as the country's ruler in the absence of my father, and with that came his counsel. He was a calm, brooding man, but he had a light sense of humor that I very much enjoyed. He took his job very seriously and reminded me greatly of my father whenever there was an important decision to be made.

"Your Highness," He said, spreading his arms out in greeting. "How is he?" I ducked my head down and tried to suppress a sarcastic answer when I knew he was being serious.

"He looks like death." I said honestly, stuffing my hands in my pockets. Gildarts gave me a sad smile, but I could see the worry in his eyes. He cared very much for my father.

"Your Highness, I know this is not a good time, but we must discuss your plans for the future."

I groaned, stringing a hand through my hair. Whenever Gildarts brought up 'my future' he was referring to marriage. As the time grew closer to when I would be crowned king, should my father not make it through the plague, I would need a queen. Kings did not always do well alone. As I was taught from birth, my marriage would be entirely political. A bond forged not out of love, but out of careful negotiations between two countries, preferably between two wealthy countries.

"I know you've heard of the recent massacre in Rosemary Village. This is only the beginning of Caelum's tirade and we need to secure an alliance that will aid us in the war that is inevitably approaching." Gildarts fell into step beside me as we made our way toward my chambers.

"What do you suggest?" I asked, too tired to try and dissuade him from forcing me to marry.

"The only kingdoms in the area who have not allied themselves with Caelum are Brogo and Fiore. Brogo would be the most logical alliance due to their extensive armies and mineral resources. However, their queen is a widow who is significantly older than you and has sworn off marrying again. Her only heir is her son who is only a few years older than you."

I nodded, remembering the queen of Brogo well. She was beautiful and graceful in every way and even my father, who'd lost my mother when I was three, was smitten with her beauty and charm. I knew he had proposed a marriage alliance when I was around eleven or twelve, but she'd respectfully declined. She had spent several weeks in our palace prior to that, discussing trade agreements.

"I remember the son. Lyon, right?" I asked, vaguely remembering a head of silvery hair and narrow eyes. Gildarts nodded.

"He won't be king for a while, unless the queen relinquishes her throne to him. I don't think he minds it much. I'm told he's very content relaxing with his royal luxuries without having to make any important decisions."

I chuckled, brushing my fingers through my already messy hair. I missed the feeling of not caring. It was only a year ago when my father started taking me with him to all his important meetings and showing me all the qualifications of a king. I just never thought I would have to us them so soon. I hoped with everything in me that I wouldn't have to use them for long.

"Now the next option is Fiore. Their armies aren't as strong or as numerous as Brogo, but they are still enough to aid us against Caelum. And they have a female heir." I whipped my head around to look at him as we turned into another hallway.

"Are you sure? Last I remember, King Makarov only had one heir."

"That is true. Laxus Dreyar is King Makarov's son and heir to the throne. However, the king has just recently claimed his illegitimate daughter, Wendy Marvel. She is fourteen years old and on her way to become legitimized. According to the rumors, Makarov kept her hidden as a servant in the castle until he found out that Laxus might give up his claim to the throne."

I gave Gildarts a stunned look. "He will?" I asked, the idea completely foreign to me. Gildarts nodded solemnly.

"They are saying that if Laxus gives up his claim, there will be no heir. That's why the king is having her legitimized so he will have an heir. If you marry her, you will be wedding the next queen and you'll be able to use her resources."

I looked away as we reached the door that led to my chambers. I paused, considering the option.

"She's only fourteen." I said, the protest weak, but valid. Gildarts sighed and nodded.

"The age difference will be significant, but this is the best option we can hope for." He said. I sighed and rubbed his fingers over my temples.

"Do you truly believe this is the best course of action? For the kingdom?" I asked, feeling my resolves crumble.

Gildarts sighed and I noticed the hardness of his eyes fade, as he started to look at me not as a prince, but as who I really was: a boy who was scared out of his mind of making the wrong choice. He put his hand on my arm, the most fatherly gesture I'd ever received from him.

"I know you're scared, and you have every right to be. You are too young to have to deal with any of this, but I believe that you will make a great leader and a great king. The decision is yours, and I will support you, no matter what you choose."

I sighed and nodded.

"Very well. Send word to Fiore that I intend to propose a marriage alliance between myself and Princess Wendy Marvel. As soon as you hear back, prepare a travel escort. I'll leave for Fiore as soon as possible to secure the alliance."

Gildarts saluted and strode down the hall as I opened the door to retire to my chambers.

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	3. Chapter 3

**_Hey guys, sorry I've been MIA. It's college, you know? Anyway, here is the next chapter, Hope you all enjoy!_**

Chapter 3:

 _Erza_

I'd left the other survivors days ago. After the attack, an Edolas soldier found me and dragged me away from Simon's rotting body. He had brought me to join the other survivors and I'd spent a full day recovering and thinking. Finally, I'd resolved to travel to the citadel and join the army. I hadn't told anyone my plan and I'd left the survivors with the other soldiers who promised to escort them to the nearby villages where their relatives stayed.

I didn't have any relatives that could help me now. All I had was the memory of the two people that accepted me for all my flaws and all my mishaps and who were very dead, thanks to the black knights.

I hadn't shed a single tear since that night. I refused to let myself. I knew that if I started, I might never stop. All I wanted was retribution. I wanted a guarantee that their deaths weren't in vain. I wanted to make sure that the black knights suffered for what they did.

So I was going to join the army. I was going to fight in the war and I was going to kill as many black knights as I could. I wasn't going to let them get away with taking my family from me. I would walk through the gates of hell itself if it meant I could get them back.

I'd been traveling for a few days, and my pack, which had somehow ended up with me even though I had no recollection of taking it with me, had sustained me for the whole trip. I was now out of food, but that was okay because as I rounded another tree, I could see the huge tower in the distance, telling me I had reached my destination.

The citadel was easily distinguishable by two prominent walls. The city that surrounded the fortress was protected by a large stone wall and the castle itself was wrapped inside of an even taller wall, protecting both the citizens from the outside and keeping the citizens outside of the castle. I'd never been to the Royal City myself, but I'd heard of its beauty and majesty. As I approached the huge gates, I could understand why people felt so safe here. The walls seemed impenetrable and I felt safe just walked towards it.

As I made it to the huge metal gates, the guard at the drawbridge stood to attention. He was clad in silver armor and I couldn't help but wonder how that armor would fit on me once I joined the army.

"What business do you have in the Royal City?" The guard asked. I straightened my back and puffed out my chest.

"I'm here to prove my worth to the crown and join the army ranks." The guard's mouth tightened as he looked over my form. His eyes narrowed on the sword at my side.

"What makes you think you have worth to the crown?" He questioned harshly. I smirked slightly and drew my sword. The guard stepped back uncomfortably.

"I forged this sword myself. I am completely adept at using it and could demonstrate on you if you so desire." The guard flinched, but still eyed me suspiciously.

"That won't be necessary." He said grimly. He grabbed the lever next to him and yanked it down, opening the drawbridge and the gate and giving me access to the city. I sheathed my sword and stared up at the city in awe as I made my way across the drawbridge and into the Royal City.

The streets were flooded with people. The city was full of life as I walked down the huge pathway. The path was made of cobblestone and there were shops and kiosks on either side of me, selling various things. I smiled as the merchants called to me, asking me to buy jewelry or clothes or even vases for any flowers I might receive. There was a flower shop a little ways down and the merchant there offered me a rose, which I took gratefully. The people bustling down the street were very friendly, excusing themselves as thy pushed by me, and giving me friendly hellos. I was shocked at the life of this city.

For as long as I could remember, I'd always been faced with famine and drought that kept people from being happy. Misery followed wherever I was and I had to train myself to see the good where there was none to keep myself from falling into desperation. Here, there was no sign of sadness. Even the peasants and those who barely had enough on their table where happy. People helped each other here. People cared for each other. It was something I never experienced before.

Finally, I reached what looked like an inn. As I made my way inside, I saw some burly looking men at the bar, flirting with the waitress, who was smiling suggestively, coaxing them to buy more drinks. I made my way to the front desk and pulled out some cash. The land lady walked up to greet me.

"Hello! Are you new in town? Welcome, welcome! Would you like a room?" She spoke fast and I only had time to nod before she was already handing me a key. "First night is on the house! Your room is on the first floor, third door to the right. I hope you enjoy your stay!" Then she was gone and I was forced to stare wide-eyed after her, startled that she'd given me a room so easily. What if I'd been a Caelum spy?

I shook my head, and turned toward the stairs. I made my way to the first floor and walked to the room she had indicated. Unlocking the door, I stepped inside and smiled at the quaint little room with a small bed and a bathroom just off to the side. It looked very much like the room I had left behind in Rosemary, and it calmed me a bit, knowing that the people here did not have it any better than I did at home.

I looked out the window and sighed slightly at the view of the street. i should have moved here sooner. Maybe if I had convinced Simon and Kagura to come with me, we never would have been in Rosemary when Caelum attacked. We could have avoided the massacre altogether. They would all still be alive and happy and I wouldn't be alone, in a tiny room.

I felt my lips begin to tremble as thoughts of what could have been threatened to take over my already fragile mind. I shook my head and threw my pack on the bed to distract myself. I had to get out of this room that already had too many memories.

It was still early in the day. I could get out and perhaps enlist for the army right now. If I had been in my right mind, I would have waited a day to be in complete form. But I needed a distraction. Something to keep my mind off the impending grief and depression that I had repressed down as far as it would go.

So that's how I found myself tucking my key inside my brassiere and re-securing the sword around my waist before leaving the room and locking the door.

When I returned to the bar area of the inn, I noticed the same kind woman behind the bar, serving some young men who, to be honest, looked too young and small to be drinking at this time of day. She noticed me and smiled broadly, waving me over. I walked over to the bar, trying to ignore the glances and stares I was getting from around the bar.

"Was the room to your liking, miss?" The lady asked, pulling a glass out from under the bar. I nodded and smiled as she poured some liquid in the glass and pushed it toward me. "First drink is on the house. Was there anything else I could help you with?"

"Yes, thank you. Could you please direct me to the enlistment office?" I asked, pulling the drink toward me. I could tell it was some kind of hard alcohol inside and I did need a bit of loosening up, so I didn't feel all that guilty when I took a small sip.

"The Royal Army enlistment office? Of course! It's by the West Citadel gate, next to the stables. You can't miss it." The woman said, swiping my glass away when I'd finished. I nodded and expressed my thanks, turning to leave.

As I made my way to the door, I heard her call from behind.

"I hope you find your knight, dear! He's a lucky man!" I turned around, but the woman was already gone.

I slowly pushed the door open, trying not to overthink her words. She thought I was going to check up on someone already in the army. My knight, the person I loved and who was fighting for me. As much as I wanted it to be true, I didn't have a knight anymore. Mine had been killed protecting me. And as much as I knew that he would always be there with me, all I wanted was to bring justice on those who put us in that situation.

As the woman suggested, the trek to the West Gate was not taxing at all. It was an easy route and the enlistment office was pretty well labeled, with a huge Edolas banner over a large stone building and several purple tents behind it. Soldiers walked in and out of the building and the Citadel Gate, and everyone seemed to be carrying some kind of weapon, whether they were in armor or not.

I took a breath and made my way inside, ignoring the strange looks from the soldiers around me. I walked confidently to the large round table in the middle of the stone building. There were three soldiers standing over the table, pointing at a large map of Edolas and surrounding countries.

As I approached, my eyes zeroed in on Rosemary Village on the northern border. There was a large figurine of a black rook placed on top. A village destroyed and taken by the Black Country. I wanted to be angry, but all I felt was grief, so I pulled my eyes away from the map and blinked the stinging tears away. I took a breath and cleared my throat, causing the soldiers to look up at me.

"Good day," I began. "My name is Erza Scarlett and I would like to enlist in the Edolas Royal Army." I saluted and put my hand on the hilt of my sword. One of the soldiers straightened his back and gave me a condescending look.

"Come again?" He asked disbelievingly. I took another breath and continued.

"I may not look like much, because of my gender or my stature, but I assure you, I am very adept at fighting. I am one of the survivors of Rosemary Village. I was their blacksmith. I forged and repaired weapons and armor of all kind and I have no love for Caelum. Allow me to prove my skills and my devotion and you will not be disappointed. I will not fail."

The soldier's expression did not change as he lifted his chin and pushed his cape away from his chest, revealing the royal seal on his breastplate. He was one of the Prince Jellal's personal guards. I felt extrememly intimidated as he narrowed his eyes at me.

"I'm sorry, we do not enlist females in the army. You may enlist as a nurse or a kitchen hand, but we do not allow women to fight. It is far too dangerous." He said, not sounding very apologetic at all.

The intimidation and fear slowly disappeared when his words registered in my head. I felt my eyes narrow and my chest tighten.

"Why don't you enlist women? I'm sure that there are many others like me who want to fight for their country as well." The other soldiers glanced up, but none of them said anything as their leader rolled his eyes as though he were talking to a child.

"It is too dangerous. You could die." He said tersely, as though it was something completely obvious and natural.

"So could you! If we are willing to take that risk, as you are, then there should be nothing preventing women to join. We have a right to fight as you do." I retorted, feeling my cheeks burn.

"I am sorry. This is the law kept for generations. We cannot let a woman fight on the battlefield. It would be a disgrace to society." He emphasized the final sentence and I felt my fists clench and my jaw tighten.

"You are a disgrace to society if you still believe that. I am a woman and I survived. I went through hell and back to be here and I lost too much just to be turned away when I need this the most. You are ruining the life I managed to preserve during that massacre."

"No, sweetheart, I'm saving your sorry life. You should be thanking me. Now get out of here. We can't have any civilian wreaking havoc in the Enlistment Building." With that, he flipped his cape back over his shoulder and turned back to his soldiers, as though I no longer existed.

I stared after him, gaping, my mouth slightly open. How could he say those things to me? Was this really the end of my journey already? Just because I was a woman meant I couldn't fight? Would he change his mind if I beat a soldier in single combat?

I barely registered as my body automatically turned around and walked out the door, embarrassment and humiliation shuddering through my body. I wasn't sure what kind of reaction I had been hoping for, but that wasn't it. The anger I'd felt had melted away, replaced with shame and embarrassment. I probably looked ridiculous, trying to enlist in the army when none of them thought a woman could do anything other than cook or clean.

As the shame clouded my head, grief and depression began to take over. Now I really had absolutely nothing to my name. Simon and Kagura were dead and I couldn't avenge them. I had nowhere left to go, nowhere left to run, nowhere left to hide. I was truly alone in the world and there was nothing I could do to fix it. There was nothing I could do to continue living. There wasn't any point anymore.

I continued to wander around the streets of the Royal City, not really caring if I was getting myself lost or the fact that it had started to get dark. I barely paid attention when I decided to enter a bar. I didn't even register when I sat down on the stool and ordered myself the strongest drink they had.

All I could think about was distraction. Distraction, or forgetting, or just letting myself get lost. It was the only way I could think to cope. The only way I could think to survive.

 ** _Leave a review! I love to know what you all think!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**_Hey everyone! Hope you are all having a great october! Next week is Halloween. What are you dressing up as?_**

Chapter 4:

Four shots and half my money later, I was wasted. Now there are several types of drunks, the worst being the crying, emotional type. Unfortunately for me, that was exactly the one I was. So I always found myself in a corner, bawling, with a bucket in my lap. Luckily for me, at the time I always had Simon to comfort me and take me home.

He wasn't here anymore so I did find the decency in me to keep from going into sob mode. But I was still crying softly, twirling the empty shot glass in front of me, trying to ignore the strange looks I was getting from around the bar.

"Tough day?" A blunt voice asked from behind the bar. I looked up through my silent tears and saw the figure of a pretty girl with long brown hair and sharp facial features. She was only wearing a blue bikini top and brown capris pants, making the tip to toe get-up I had going on look very conservative.

"The worst." I replied, feeling another wave of tears roll over. The girl shook her head quietly and poured me another shot. I shakily pulled my bag of coins out but she shook her head.

"Last one on the house." She insisted. I put my bag back and tilted my head in confusion. "Yeah, you heard me. Last one. Whoever this guy is, he isn't worth your tears."

Her words, meant to comfort, only sent another wave of tears through my body. The girl looked slightly taken aback and pushed the glass closer to me.

"Oh man, he hurt you really bad, didn't he?" She asked sadly. I realized that she'd probably seen hundreds if not thousands of people sitting and weeping at the bar over her time working here. As much as I wanted to pretend I was like them, I couldn't help it when my heart poured out in front of me.

"He's dead. Black knights killed him, and all I wanted to do was avenge him. So I came to join the army to kill some of those bastards, but they won't let me join because I'm a woman and it's just so unfair. I should have fought harder. I should have argued more, there are so many things I should have done and it's all my fault." I started crying again, and I shakily pulled the drink toward me only for it to be ripped out of my hands.

"What do you think you're doing, then?" I looked up at the young woman who was looking at me angrily. "You think drinking your problems away is a good way to avenge your lover's death? Think about what he'd say if he saw you now."

I sniffed loudly and wiped my nose on my sleeve, looking at her curiously. I blinked slowly and the tears faded away. I realized she was right, and this wasn't me at all. I rarely ever drank because it turned me into a weakling, when I knew better than anyone that I wasn't weak. I was strong and I was resilient. I'd been through hell and back and I'd still survived with a sane head.

If Simon was here, he'd probably yell at me. Well, no he wouldn't because Simon would never yell at me. But he would frown and looked at me in disappointment.

 _"_ _What are you doing, Erza? You're throwing your life away for nothing. You're better than this."_

I sniffed again and straightened my back at the familiar words.

"Can I get a coffee instead?" I asked. The young woman grinned and nodded, quickly whipping it out. I grabbed the mug she handed me and took a long drink, cringing at the bitter taste.

"I'm sorry." I said, wiping the remaining tears away. "Alcohol makes me emotional and weepy and that's not who I am. Let's start over. Hello, I'm Erza." I said, finding my voice and confidence. The woman smiled and held her hand out to take mine.

"I'm Cana, local bartender and reigned beer pong champion, at your service." I smiled at her, slowly feeling the effects of the alcohol fade. I was still a little sniffy and I could still feel the tears in my throat and stinging the backs of my eyes, but I remained straight-faced.

"So what's this about the army not letting women join? That's so sexist!" She exclaimed, sweeping my coffee away and refilling it once I was done. I laughed and agreed with her, sipping the coffee and cringing at the heat.

"Yeah I don't know what's up with that. I'm pretty sure I could beat all of those sorry soldiers in a sword fight, and I'm just a blacksmith." Cana smiled at my statement and leaned against the table, shooting a customer a death stare as he approached. The man paused and turned away when he realized that his goal to get some with the two women at the bar might not be worth it.

"So where did you say you were from? I assume you're from the north somewhere considering what you said about the Black Knights."

"Yeah I'm from Rosemary." I replied quietly, taking another drink of the coffee. Cana's eyes widened.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. We heard what happened from the scouts that came back, but we had no idea anyone survived that. Did you know that the prince has already taken action? He's traveling today to go to Fiore and wed the next heir. Then he's going to attack Caelum. Apparently, Rosemary was the last straw."

"Wait, what? He's leaving today? I just arrived today and I didn't hear anything about this." I said sharply, sitting up. Cana shrugged.

"He left early this morning. There was a huge sendoff and everything. I assumed you knew. The king's health is deteriorating and the prince has pretty much been taking over everything. Poor kid has been up to his wits end, but at least he's trying."

I narrowed my eyes at her statement and turned away.

"Not trying hard enough." I spat. Cana gave me a strange look, willing me to elaborate. "If he had been paying attention to the outer villages half as much as he pays attention to the Royal City, then maybe he could have prevented the massacre. Maybe he wouldn't need to marry the heir to another damn country, if he just focused on his own."

I finished my rant and inhaled sharply, running out of breath without realizing it. Cana remained silent, analyzing my face. I hadn't realized how dramatic I'd been getting and I realized that I was getting strange looks from around the bar. Cana pulled the coffee away from me and gave me a small smile.

"Okay well, I can see you feel strongly about that. I don't want to be the one to argue with you about it, so I suppose I'll just give you a drink to go, yeah?" She said calmly, as if she was talking to a child. I blinked, realizing the dismissal, as cutting as it was, and ducked my head in shame. Maybe I was a little too verbal for my own good.

"Thanks." I said quietly when she gave me a coffee to go. I took the cup and left the bar, keeping my head as low to the ground and making sure I was walking in a straight line. The effects of alcohol were still there and I could feel it in my head and my mouth. I tried not to think as I walked back to the inn, even though I knew that there was a lot to think about before the next day.

The Royal Advisor, Gildarts Clive, strode through the palace halls, stretching from a long day of preparation and organization. Since the prince had left this morning, Gildarts had been left in charge of the country's well-being until he returned with a new bride. As much as Gildarts wanted to relax, knowing the prince would not fail his country, he could not help but worry about the boy.

Jellal was very much like his father in that he wanted to protect his people at any cost. However, he was also independent and a free spirit and Gildarts hated seeing him cornered like he was. Gildarts knew more than anyone that arranged marriages could be the most awful agreement in a person's life, especially when one's heart is with someone else.

As Gildarts was returning to his chambers, his mind drifted to his own arranged wedding, to a woman he did not love and who died only a year after their marriage. The woman was beautiful and kind, but she was frail and ill in all aspects, and Gildarts felt sorry for her more than anything. When she'd died, Gildarts was sad because he'd lost a friend, not because he'd lost a love.

It didn't take him long to find someone else that he loved tremendously. Unfortunately, his parents had been adamantly against the pairing and Gildarts had been ripped away from his lover before he could marry her. She'd been shipped away and Gildarts did not know what had become of her. Sometimes he wondered if she thought of him as much as he thought of her.

Because Gildarts had no children of his own, he started to see the prince as his own son, now that the king's health was in peril. Gildarts was great friends with the king, as they had been childhood partners in crime, and it gave him great sadness to see him so ill. However, Gildarts had always been strong in times of destruction, as he was the Royal Advisor, so he had managed to keep a high head in this time of threat. He admired Prince Jellal greatly for keeping the same composure even when it seemed as though his walls were crashing down around him.

Gildarts was lost in thought as he approaching his chambers, and he almost did not notice the messenger bolting down the hall, calling for him.

"Sir Clive! Sir Clive!" Gildarts turned to see the young boy, not much older than the prince himself, sprinting to catch up to him.

"Sir Clive! Come quickly! There's an emergency in the physician's room! One of Prince Jellal's travel escorts has returned with an arrow through his chest!" The boy rushed out, waving his arms frantically.

Gildarts' panic sky-rocketed and he immediately started down the hall towards the physician's chambers, followed closely by the messenger boy who was shivering. Gildarts kept his face calm, but on the inside, he was on the verge of a panic attack.

One of Jellal's escorts? Did that mean they had been attacked? Why did only one come back? Did none of the others survive?

Gildarts tried not to think the worst as he turned a corner, pausing slightly when the messenger boy stumbled. He glanced at the boy, wondering if the boy had seen the escort and that was why he was so jittery. The boy's face was pale with worry and fear. Gildarts felt a stab of pride for Prince Jellal even in this dark time that he could elicit this kind of worried reaction from his subjects.

Gildarts burst through the doors of the physician's chamber and strode into the large room where he was greeted with the sight of a dozen guards and the physician herself surrounding the operation table in the middle of the chambers. She had pushed the guards back and was bustling around the man on the table with urgency.

The physician was an old woman named Porlyusica who had been around since before Gildarts had even been born. She was almost magical when she worked with patients and Gildarts could not count the number of times she'd healed him when he'd been injured or sick over the years. She was a hardy old woman who did not care who she was talking to or how high a rank they were. She treated everyone the same, important or not, and it was one of the things Gildarts admired her most for.

"Sir Clive, thank goodness." One of the guards noticed him and beckoned him over. Porlyusica looked up and narrowed her eyes in anger.

"Oh no you don't, Gildarts. I don't want any of your negativity near here right now. I'm trying to save a man's life and I don't need any politics around the table while I'm working." She snapped, waving him away. Gildarts held his jaw from dropping as he gaped at the woman.

"Politics? A man is dying and he was the only one to come back. I think I have a right to be here and oversee his recovery." Gildarts exclaimed, feeling his cheeks heat as the guards looked back and forth between the two. Only Porlyusica could ever talk to him in such a way, and he didn't want any of his guards getting the wrong idea.

Porlyusica grunted and rolled her eyes, drawing her attention back to the man on the table. She began to apply some poultice on the man's wound. She placed a towel on his head and splashed some water on his face. Then she stepped back and sighed.

"That is all I can do for now. He is alive, which is a great accomplishment to say the least. If he had gone another ten minutes without my help, he would be dead. Now all we can do is wait and hope he recovers by himself." She said solemnly. Gildarts nodded as the guards around the table sighed in relief.

"Oh yes, and Gildarts, you might want to have this." Porlyusica reached onto the table beside her and passed him a piece of paper with a hole through it. "This was attached to the arrow in the man's chest."

Gildarts' chest tightened as he took the paper and started reading it to himself. His heart dropped and he started to feel nauseous as he read the words on the page, praying to any god that would listen that this was all just a bad dream.

"Sir?" Gildarts looked up to see his guards looking at him expectantly. "What does it say, sir?" Gildarts sighed and cleared his throat, beginning to read the note aloud.

" _If you don't want your prince to end up in pieces, you'll do exactly what this note says. Bring a hundred thousand jewels to the gates of Caelum City in seven days in exchange for your prince's life. If you send a rescue team or if you do not comply within seven days, your prince will die and your land will burn to the ground."_

Gildarts finished reading and looked up to his guards, who had all paled. Porlyusica just looked angry.

"If they've hurt a hair on that poor boy's head, I'm going to castrate each and every one of them." She threatened darkly. Gildarts gulped, trying not to imagine what that would look like.

"This note means that the prince is alive, and there is a way to save him. We must rescue him quickly before the seven days are up." Gildarts resolved firmly. He began to think of plan in his head as one of the guards piped up.

"But sir, it says if we try to rescue him, they'll kill him. We have to pay the ransom and get him back quickly." Gildarts looked at the guard as another spoke, cutting off his reply.

"You really think they'll give him back like that? They want the better end of this deal, which is take our money and then kill our leader. I say we recruit and assemble an army and then attack Caelum with everything we have to get him back."

"If they know we're coming, then they'll just kill him. We need to play this out carefully and not try to jump into anything rash. One wrong move could get him killed. We should do as you say and assemble an army, but we should do so quietly while collecting the money and bringing it to them. This way, we will uphold our end of the bargain and be ready if they try to kill him at the exchange."

The guards began to argue amongst themselves at how they could save their prince. Porlyusica began to check on the unconscious escort, glancing up every now and then to listen to the conversation. Gildarts remained silent, watching his men argue. He thought he'd come up with a solid plan when the guards turned to him.

"Sir, what do you think. Whatever you say, we will follow."

Gildarts sighed and rubbed his chin carefully before answering.

"I have a plan, and I do think this may be the only way to ensure the prince's safety. We do not have the money that they are asking for, and Caelum knows this. They are hoping for a rash response to go to war. If they can push us into war without our leader, they know they will win without an ounce of competition. So here is what I propose. We stay quiet. We collect as many donations as possible for the cause. We try to raise the money through donations. We will not force our people to give money. In the meantime, we will contact Brogo and Fiore and plead for help. If they respond, they will send men to assemble an army."

"However, at the same time, we need to get the prince away from harm. I propose we assemble a team of volunteers to go into Caelum to rescue him. They must pass a test before they are selected to go, and there must be only four or five. In this way, we will have people that Caelum does not know infiltrate them and in this way, we can focus on the army without worrying about their safety. If they manage to save him, then we will be in the clear. If not, then we can deny all ties to them because they are normal civilians."

As Gildarts explained his plan, the others nodded in agreement, some reacted with skepticism, but all in all, the other started to think it was a solid plan.

"We better get started then." Porlyusica said, pulling all the attention to her. She smiled darkly, looking right at Gildarts. "We need to recruit this team fast because they only have six days to rescue and return our prince before the deadline is up. Better get a move on."

Needless to say, Gildarts did not need to be told twice.

 ** _Before anyone says anything, I know Erza was very out of character in this chapter. It's supposed to be like that. I wanted to show her weaker side that can only be brought out through alcohol. We've only seen Erza drunk once in the anime, and she became an out of control angry person. So I've taken her as an emotional drunk, taken over by one emotion and not being able to break out of that emotion until she's sober. Don't worry. She'll be plenty badass in this story, just you wait._**

 ** _Leave a review!_**


	5. Chapter 5

**_Welcome back ladies and gents!_**

 ** _So in the last chapter, someone pointed out that I spelled Scarlet with to t's instead of one. I'm sorry about that, it's an instinct when i'm typing. I'll try not to make that mistake in the future, but if it happens, don't worry about it too much. It's just an extra letter._**

 ** _Okay, here we go!_**

Chapter 5:

 _Erza_

The next morning, I awoke to a loud trumpet horn splitting through the window. I jerked awake and almost banged my head on the ceiling plank above the bed. I groaned as the noise screeched in my ear, not allowing me to get my bearings. I stumbled out of bed and pulled my leather pants back on, the trumpets never ceasing, and strapped on my sword before trudging down the stairs. There was no one in the inn and I made my way outside, cursing every god in existence for waking me up so early.

I stepped outside and saw a number of people walking through the streets toward the sound of the trumpet. A mother pulled her child along with her, as he screamed and wailed that he hadn't had any sleep. A group of teenagers trotted together, huddled up close from the chilly morning air. A family of five making their way carefully down the street. all of them toward the trumpets. I concluded that it must have been some kind of announcement, and decided I should be following them as well.

I made my way through the streets, following the other citizens. I tried to keep myself from drooping my eyelids too much, and I could still feel the remnants of sleep taunting me.

We reached the square in the middle of the lower town and I found out where the trumpet was coming from. There was a young man standing on the execution platform with a horn in hand, a large scroll by his side. He was dressed officially, with the royal seal on his shoulder. He must have an announcement from the palace.

Finally, he stopped and scanned the town square to make sure that enough people were around, then he pulled his scroll out and cleared his throat, ready to shout over the crowd.

"People of Edolas, this is an official announcement from the royal advisor, Gildarts Clive. Last night, Prince Jellal Fernandez was on his way to the kingdom of Fiore to wed the next heir of the throne, Her Highness Princess Wendy Marvel. During his journey, our brave prince was abducted by Caelum Soldiers and is being held hostage behind Caelum's walls of steel."

An audible gasp passed through the crowd. I was awake now. As much as the prince annoyed me, and didn't do his job correctly, I never wanted this. He was our only hope of getting out of this war and now he was gone. Why were they telling us this? Why were they making it so public?

"The royal advisor is looking for volunteers to go on a special mission to rescue the prince from his iron prison. All participants will receive a hefty reward to each their liking, guaranteed by Sir Clive himself. We ask this of the people of Edolas to put forth your lives to save our prince's for the greater good. Please, help him. To volunteer, please step forward and claim your spot."

At first, there was absolute silence. Nobody moved, nobody breathed. Soon, strange looks passed between people, as if asking who in their right mind would go on such a mission. Then, there was movement. A middle-aged man stepped forward and climbed onto the platform.

"I will volunteer. For my family and my kingdom." He said. The official smiled in relief and nodded to a place behind him for the man to stand.

More silence followed until one by one, young and older men began to trickle forward. I watched the movement, feeling my heart pound in my chest. If I went on this mission and saved the prince, he would give me anything I wanted. A house and a property away from here, away from everything. He could also give me all the gold I could ever want. But most of all, he could give me my rightful place in the army. As much as I wanted to run, I also wanted to stand and fight against Caelum, the people who destroyed my home and murdered my family, and now had taken my prince.

It was that thought that had me walking toward the platform, pushing past the crowd and receiving shocked looks from all around me. I climbed onto the platform and looked the official directly in the eye. He looked like he wanted to say something to me, like he was going to warn me how dangerous it was and ask if I was sure. But I think he must have seen something in my eyes and he didn't say anything. He simply nodded to the end of the line and I took my place next to about a dozen men from the crowd.

"Thank you for your bravery and your sacrifice. Please follow me." The official walked off the stage, the volunteers following behind him slowly. The families of the volunteers were protesting lightly and some were crying, but all in all, they were letting us go easily. I knew what most of them were thinking. They were glad it wasn't them, but at the same time, they wanted to be the ones to save the prince.

It was a fight between cowardice and pride. Unsurprisingly, for most people, the cowardice won.

For me it wasn't. I still couldn't really understand why I was in this line, but I had a feeling I couldn't back out now. It was what Simon would have wanted. I imagined him smiling at me from the crowd in both pride and sadness. I had nothing better to do and this was the only chance I had of fighting Caelum knights and doing something for the country as well. Maybe this was what I was meant to be doing. Maybe everything had happened for a reason and that's why I was here.

It didn't matter anymore as we followed the official to large carriages waiting outside the square. Half of the volunteers went on one of the carriages, and half went on the second. I was in the second half of the volunteers and ended up sitting next to a young man, maybe a few years older than me. He was giving me a strange look and couldn't seem to take his eyes off me. In fact, all of them were staring at me.

"Do I have something on my face?" I asked harshly, causing most of them to shift their eyes away from me. The one next to me didn't. he continued to stare at me, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Yeah, the features of a woman. What are you doing here?" He said bluntly, causing me to be slightly taken aback. I was expecting him to cower down like the rest of them. I cleared my throat and recovered, glaring at him.

"Same as you. Volunteering to save the prince." I said back, causing the others to look at each other nervously. The man next to me was not backing down.

"But you're a woman." He said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"Yes, and you're a pushover. Now that were through stating the obvious, I suppose silence is in order." I turned away, hoping that would shut him up, but he wasn't done.

"You know that snark can't hide the fact that you shouldn't be here. You may think I'm being ignorant, but I don't think you'll be much help on this mission. You'll only slow us down." I felt anger boil in my stomach as I turned back towards him, but I felt my body move on its own, my voice coming out eerily calm.

"You know, I would slap you, but that would be considered animal abuse." I saw him visibly flinch at my insult and a smirk curled on my lips.

"I chose to be here and this is where I'll stay. So, don't be alarmed if I end up stabbing you in the back when we're out on the mission. I'm not afraid of the Black Knights. And I'm certainly not afraid of you." I gave him a wink and then turned back around, distancing myself as far from him as I could.

The ride went smoothly and silently after my little outburst. Nobody bothered to look at me again, or speak to me. Not that I was complaining. They were all sexist pigs as far as I was concerned. I was set on just leaving them all behind to save the stupid prince myself once we were set forth.

Finally, after a good half an hour of riding in the carriage, we came to a stop. I peered out through the curtains and realized that we were inside the citadel itself. This was where the king himself dwelled, sick and fragile. This was where the decision was made to ignore my village and allow it to be burned to the ground. My hands clenched in my lap as the official opened the door to both carriages and stood aside, waiting for us to descend.

I was the last to get off and step into the plaza of the citadel. The castle was built in a rectangle, with the main building on one of the edges. There was a tower at each corner of the rectangle, with center serving as a plaza of sorts. Today, it contained large white tents, flying the Edolas seal. There were soldiers and guards and officials marching around the plaza, some in a rush, and other simply walking. There were people walking in and out of the main castle and the towers. The citadel was alive with movement, but none of it was lively. It was tense and apprehensive. A place that should have been majestic and strong, now only felt fragile and scared.

I saw the official directing each of the volunteers to one of the tents. I made my way to the front of the line and the official turned to me. He gave me the same look I'd been receiving since I volunteering. Skeptical and pitying at the same time. He gestured to the tent in the back.

"A doctor should be along shortly for your physical examination." He said solemnly. I nodded and proceeded to the tent.

I entered the large white tent, about the size of the hotel room, and looked around. There was a medical table in the middle with a white piece of clothing folded on top of it. I walked over to the table and saw that the article of clothing was a gown. There was note on top of the gown. _You may leave on your undergarments_. I rolled my eyes. How chivalrous of them.

I looked around awkwardly, realizing that the only thing separating me from the view of hundreds of men was just a white sheet. Biting my lips, I stripped out of my clothes and pulled the gown on at record speed. Once I was comfortably in the gown that safely fell to my knees, I grabbed my sword and re-strapped it to my waist.

I hadn't so much as turned back around when the flap of the tent opened swiftly, and an aging man entered. He was short with a kind face, but dark eyes that held a lot of memories. He gave me a smile and approached slowly, as not to alarm me.

"Good morning. My name is Macao and I am one of the physicians of the castle. I am here to perform your physical examination. Please do not be alarmed, we just want to make sure that you are fit and healthy enough to go on this mission. We can't anyone with health issues or disabilities on the mission, as they might pose a fatal threat to our prince. You understand?"

I nodded as he came closer.

"Good. Might I ask your name and where you hail from?"

"Erza Scarlett. I'm from Rosemary Village." I replied, noticing the visible raise in his eyebrows at the mention of my village.

He spread his arms and gestured as if to ask if it was okay to touch me. I shifted in approval and he took my arms, pressing his fingers to my wrist. He began to take my pulse and fell the heart rate in my neck and wrists. He also placed his hand on my chest to test my heart rate over my heart. Then, he started to move the joints on my arm and shoulders to make sure they were functioning.

"So why did you decide to volunteer? I understand that Rosemary was nearly obliterated not too long ago. Should you not be recovering?" He nodded to the scars on my arms and chest that were still fresh. I clenched my fists as he gestured for me to stand.

"I don't need to recover. I'm fine. And I can fight. I want to fight." The doctor had me do some squats to make sure my knees were working before asking me to hop on one leg. I felt pretty ridiculous, but he was acting like this was perfectly normal.

"You do know, that if all goes as planned, you won't need to fight at all." The doctor gestured for me to sit back down, and pulled out a notebook to write something down.

"I'm not talking about this mission. I'm talking about afterwards." The doctor glanced up, willing me to continue. "If this mission goes as planned, we will have rescued the prince and he will grant me any reward I want. I want to join the army, because for some reason, women are forbidden from joining. I'm going to prove myself during this mission and take my rightful place in the front lines, fighting Caelum's knights until this war is finally over."

The doctor tucked his notebook away, looking at me curiously.

"Very well. Now one last thing before I go enter the results, I must take your weapon." I flinched and my hand automatically went to the hilt of my sword. The doctor sighed and held his hand out. "I'm sorry, but we need to confiscate all weapons for the time being. Don't worry, you'll get them back shortly, we just need to follow the safety procedures, you understand."

My hand still hadn't moved and I was glaring at him. I wasn't about to let this sword go, even if I knew that I was safe in the walls of the citadel.

"Failure to cooperate will result in expulsion from the mission. I'm sorry." The doctor said again, not sounding very apologetic at all. I realized that he wasn't taking no for an answer and if I truly did not cooperate, I could be back out on my ass where I wanted to avoid in the first place. I sighed and unstrapped my sword, handing it to him reluctantly. He took it and tucked it under his arm.

"You may get dressed now. Someone should be along shortly to take you to the next checkpoint." With that, the doctor turned and strode out of the room, his long robe flowing behind him almost majestically.

I quickly changed back into my clothes and tossed the gown on the table, feeling significantly barer without my sword. Why did they want my sword anyway? Did they not trust their own people not to turn on them? I supposed I had to give them some credit. I wouldn't trust me either, even if I did volunteer to sacrifice myself to save the prince.

I sat back down on the table, rubbing my hands together. I hoped I wouldn't have to wait long.

My wishes were answered with the sound of a shrill shriek. I gasped as the flap to my tent opened and a knight barreled into my tent, his helmet, covering his face. His armor was pitch black and he had his swords drawn in offense. I felt my heart skip a beat and I processed the chaotic noises happening outside, I fell over the table and stood behind it as the knight advanced on me.

They were here. They were in the citadel. How? How were they here?

I couldn't think about that now as the knight raised his sword and swung down at my unprotected body. I dove down and somersaulted under the table and through his legs to end up behind him. I jumped up and drove my elbow into the cinch in his armor at the neck. He grunted and fell forward slightly. If I'd been paying attention, I may have noticed how unnaturally young his voice sounded.

I used his momentary stupor to take a dive for his sword. If I could just disarm him, I would stand a better chance of killing him. As my hand wrapped around his wrist, his elbow shot forward and connected with my stomach, causing the air to rush out of me and my body to violently jerk backwards. I fell over and tried to ignore the sting in my abdomen as the knight turned back around to strike at me.

I dodged the first blow by rolling on my side. The second came horizontally, so I sat up, dodging it by a hair. I could hear the sword fly my ear. I took that opportunity to intertwine my fingers and strike at his crotch as hard as I could. He audibly groaned and stumbled back, I tucked my legs under me and sprang forward, knocking him to the group. His sword clattered next to him and before he could grab it again, I drove my elbow onto his face, knocking the helmet up a bit.

Then I dove for the sword. My fingers wrapped around the hilt and tried to scramble to my feet. His hand clasped around my ankle and kicked behind me, feeling my foot connect with metal. He shouted and his voice came out much clearer as something clattered to the ground. I sprang to my feet and whirled around pointing the sword at his chest.

Just as I was about to stab him, I froze. The knight's helmet had been knocked off in our scuffle and I could see his face. It wasn't a knight. It wasn't even an adult. It was a child. A young boy, no older than fifteen, stared at me with wide fearful black eyes. He was trying to glare at me, but his eyes were terrified. What was a child doing on a Caelum raid? I knew I had to kill him, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Before I could make a decision, a noise from the entrance to the tent startled me. I jerked as the sound of clapping filled my ears.

The doctor strode in, followed by the official, both of them smiling and clapping. I stared wide-eyed as the official spread his arms and smiled wide. He spoke loud and full of pride, as my head seemed to spin at the words coming from his mouth.

"Congratulations, Erza Scarlett. You have passed the test."

 ** _Leave a review! Oh , also, Happy Halloween!_**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Hi peeps! Sorry I've been gone for a while. It's finally thanksgiving break and I get to go home soon! So here's a chapter to celebrate. Hope you enjoy!**_

Chapter 6:

"Congratulations, Erza Scarlett. You passed the test." The official said calmly, smiling broadly. My brain was still trying to wrap around what was happening when the doctor stepped forward.

Automatically, my sword rounded on him, my eyes narrowing and my stance widening.

"What test? What are you talking about?" I demanded, causing the two to pause, looking at me curiously. The official put his hands up.

"I'm sorry we had to test you in this way, but we wanted to test your reaction and your ability to fight in a tight situation. You can lower your sword now. There is no harm." He explained calmly, like he was talking to a child. That only made me angrier as I pointed my sword back at the black knight, who had sat up now.

"No harm? There is a black knight in my tent. He tried to kill me, and you're trying to tell me that I'm safe? You better explain what the hell is going on before I skewer all of you." I threatened darkly. The official chuckled and lowered his hands.

"I understand your concern, but there is no need to be. The black knights are not here. Romeo—" he gestured to the boy, who rose to his feet, "—is not a black knight. He is a soldier in training for the army. He was not trying to kill you, merely trying to test your skills as fighter." I still didn't lower my sword as the doctor went to the boy, examining his face.

"Everyone had to go through this test, that is why it sounded so chaotic outside. But I assure you, you are perfectly safe. You understand, we could not allow simply anyone to partake in this mission. As spirited as some volunteers may have been, if they couldn't handle the reality of what was at stake, then they couldn't be a part of the mission. This was the only way we could weed out those who didn't have what it took. I'm pleased to say, you definitely have what it takes. Romeo is the top in his class, a very skilled fighter, and you thoroughly beat him."

"It's because of the stupid armor." The boy mumbled. My sword began to lower as the pieces began to fit.

"That's messed up. I could have killed him. I only hesitated because I realized how young he was. What if I'd killed him?" I said quietly. The official smiled.

"But you didn't kill him. You're both safe. And now you are officially a part of the mission to save our prince." I tried not to look as shocked and confused as I felt as the official stepped toward me and took the sword away from me, handing me my own sword back. The doctor led the boy away, whispering something in his ear.

The official stepped back and smiled.

"If you would follow me, I'll show you to your fellow volunteers. The ones who passed the test, to clarify." With that, he strode out of the tent, and I had no choice but to strap my sword back around my waist and follow him out.

The square outside had calmed down significantly. I noticed all the soldiers in black armor lining up on one side of the square, standing to attention as their commander walked down the line, yelling something at them. On the other side, I noticed all the volunteers that had come with me, climbing back onto the carriages. They had failed. They had all failed. That meant I was the only one out of at least a dozen men to succeed this test. Would that mean I would be going alone on the mission?

I followed the official up the large stairs and into the main castle. Once we entered, the cold rock was replaced by beautiful marble and smooth limestone. There were huge states of the former kings all in a line down the great hall and the pillars were all decorated with such intricate designs, I knew it would have had to have taken years to make them. The official led me down a small path away from the great hall and up some smooth marble stairs. I was amazed at how beautiful and smooth everything was and how beautifully decorated the walls were, even though this passage seemed like one less traveled.

Finally, we reached a large green door with golden designs decorating its frame. The official gestured to the door and bowed his head.

"Your new companions are already inside. Someone will be along to have you proceed to the next rendezvous point to meet Sir Clive. Refreshments are at your disposal. Please make yourself at home." And with that, the official turned to leave.

I watched him go and frowned at his words. So there were more people in here besides me who'd passed the test? They must have come from a different sector of the city, but I don't remember seeing anyone else at the tents besides the people I'd arrived with. I turned back to the door and took a deep breath. I supposed it was time to find out. With that thought in mind, I took the knob in my palm and opened the door, stepping inside.

Like the door, the room had a green and gold theme to it, I noticed as I closed the door behind me. On one side of the room, a long table was laid out with bowls of food and drinks, as promised. There were three long couches in the center of the room, surrounding a fireplace that was burning in the back. Two people occupied those couches and were giving me wide looks.

"Yes! It's a girl, pay up." I blinked as a blond young woman turned to a tall young man and held her palm out.

"Damn it." The male groaned and fished in his pocket for coins to pass to her. He had salmon pink hair and was wearing nothing but some brown pants and a black vest, exposing his chest. The girl was wearing a tight leather outfit, with her hair pulled into a half side ponytail. She grinned as the coins were place in her hand and tucked them in his low rising bust.

"Welcome to the club, newbie. You're a little late." The boy said, narrowing his eyes at me. I stepped forward and put my hand on the hilt of my sword.

"What makes me the only newbie? We're all here for the first time, right?" I said, walking around the couches to look at them properly. The boy's legs were propped up onto the small coffee table in the middle, and the girl was sprawled across the other couch.

"You're the last one to get here. Makes you the newbie." The boy said, shrugging his shoulders. The girl laughed out loud and shook her head.

"At least she's another member of the female gender. You have no more power here." She said tauntingly, grinning at the boy. He snorted and looked away. "Hi." I turned back to the girl who had stuck her hand out. "Don't listen to that dunderhead. I'm Lucy." I smiled and shook her head.

"Erza." I replied, glancing at the boy expectantly. He was playing with a knife from the strap around his waist. He looked up when he realized everyone was staring at him and cleared his throat.

"Enjoying the view, ladies?" He said, smirking and pushing his vest aside to show off his abdomen. I scoffed and Lucy snorted.

"As if. Sorry about him. He's Natsu." Lucy said, introducing him for him. I nodded and narrowed my eyes at him.

"How do you expect to fight with that flimsy top?" I snapped at him, crossing my arms. Natsu laughed and sat up, tucking the knife back into his belt.

"Sweetheart, I got here first, which means I beat both you to pass that amateur test they had set up. I don't need armor." He said confidently, showing off his surprisingly white teeth. I was going to retort, but I paused at something he said.

"How come you guys got here first anyway?" I asked.

"Because we're better." Natsu said pointedly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Lucy rolled her eyes at him, but turned to me.

"Well, what sector did you come from? Natsu and I both came from the South Upper Town." She said, rubbing the back of her head.

"Um…" I paused, thinking about where I'd come from. I knew I was near the north gate. "I think the North Lower Town possibly?"

"Yeah, that's why you're late. It takes longer to get to the citadel from there than it does from where we were." She said, sitting up and patting the seat beside her. I sat down next to her and clasped my hands in front of me.

"So you know each other?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

"She wishes." Natsu shot, making me roll my eyes and Lucy glare.

"No. I had the pleasure of not knowing him before I got here. I'm actually not from Edolas. I was here on business." She said vaguely. I nodded, not wanting to press her forward.

"Yeah, I'm not from here either. I'm from Fiore. I only work in the mines here. Yeah it's a good job and I get paid well so I keep it." Natsu said, lying back on the couch.

"Was anyone talking to you?" Lucy snapped, causing Natsu to scowl over at us. I stifled a giggle and Natsu shot me a glare. "Anyway, where are you from? I know someone from the lower town didn't just magically pass the test they gave us without some kind of skill."

"I'm from the north." I said vaguely, looking away. I really didn't want anyone to know that I was from Rosemary. They would think I was crazy or stupid or both. And I really didn't want anyone asking questions.

"Oh gosh, that means you're from the border, huh? How is it up there? I heard a lot of villages are suffering at Caelum's hand." Lucy asked, while Natsu turned away, grumbling slightly about nobody cared about what he had to say. I sighed and avoided her eyes as I formulated an answer.

"It's not ideal, I'll put it that way." I said vaguely again. Lucy narrowed her eyes, but didn't press me.

"When do you think they'll come for us?" Lucy asked. This got Natsu's attention, who sat up and rubbed his hands together.

"Hopefully soon. They haven't even told us the details of the mission yet. All we know is that we have to save the prince. That's it. We don't know where he is, or how long that'll take. Or why they picked us and not their own soldiers."

"Are you annoyed they put you with two girls?" Lucy challenged. Natsu blinked and tilted his head in confusion.

"No? Why would I be? You're both here, means you're capable enough to fight. Why would I be annoyed?" He said incredulously. Lucy paused and blinked.

"Uh… never mind." She said, looking away.

I knew why she was confused. So far, everyone in this city had been sexist chauvinists and I was sure he was the same. The fact that he didn't even understand why the question was asked was incredible. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

Just as we were going to start discussing the mission. The door flung open and a tall man strode through the door, causing us to snap our heads in that direction.

The man was tall and broad and was wearing a smart black suit with a royal blue sash. His auburn hair was gelled back and he had the remnants of a five o'clock shadow over his jaw. Behind him, another man entered, much younger and probably closer to our age. He had just black hair that was spike and unruly with sharp features and an athletic build. He was wearing a suit of white armor that seemed pretty thin and easy to move around in. there was a seal on his breastplate, but I couldn't read the insignia.

"Welcome to the Citadel. My name is Gildarts Clive, official Royal Advisor to King Mystogan of Edolas. I am thrilled that so many of you were able to pass the test. I am sorry if it was a bit of a surprise, but we had no other way to be sure you were fit for this mission." I stood with Lucy and bowed slightly to show my respect for the man. Even if I didn't think Prince Jellal was all that, the king was indeed someone to respect.

"May I ask all your names?"

"I'm Natsu Dragneel, your lordliness." I rolled my eyes as Lucy glared at Natsu before stepping forward.

"I'm Lucy." She said tersely. I glanced at her, wondering why she wasn't using a last name.

"Erza Scarlet, sir." I said, bowing my head slightly. Sir Clive nodded at all of us and then turned to the second man.

"This is Sir Gray Fullbuster of Brogo. He was called in specially for this mission. Gray is the captain of the guard in Brogo and once informed of Prince Jellal's capture, the gracious Queen Ur sent him to help us extract him from Caelum. You are all going to be working together to save our prince. I would like to formally thank you for your bravery and sacrifice. Edolas is forever in your debt."

"Don't thank us yet, sir." Gray spoke up for the first time, letting out a low, husky voice that sent shivers down my spine. "Thank us after we have your prince safely back in the castle."

Sir Clive smiled and I glanced around at everyone. Whether we liked it or not, we were now in this together. We were a team and we needed to get along if we had any chance of saving the prince. I hoped I wasn't making a mistake, getting into all of this.

 ** _I'm so excited you guys. This story has so many things that will blow your mind. I can't wait. Leave a review!_**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Hi Friends! I'm so sorry I've been gone for so long. I kind of just dropped off the map. But I'm back now! New chapter cocked and loaded!_**

Chapter 7:

 _Erza_

"This is the armory. You have an hour to collect all your belonging and anything you might need." Sir Clive pushed the grand double door open to reveal a large warehouse type room with thousands of different weapons and types of armor lining the walls and stacked on shelves. "The stables are just on the other side of the armory. I will ready your steeds and meet you there when you are all prepared. If you can all be ready before the hour is up, that would be much appreciated."

"What about food? Shelter?" Lucy asked, running her fingers over a long scary scabbard.

"Everything you need will be waiting for you at the stables. I did not know what kind of weapons you preferred, so this is why I brought you here. I have packed enough rations to last you over a week. Hopefully, the mission won't even take you that long. If all goes according to plan, the prince will have returned and married the heir to Fiore before the week is out."

With that, Sir Clive turned around, his cape billowing behind him, and strode out of the back door. He had already explained the plan to all of us. We were aware of our mission, and the stakes of what would happen if we failed. If we were caught, we couldn't let Caelum tie us to the government because they might kill the prince and put our entire country void of a leader. I understood that we were basically giving our lives for the prince, whether we liked or not. And now, we had a soldier among our ranks who was going to keep up in line.

Speaking of said soldier, the Brogo captain turned around to face us and clasped his hands behind him.

"I know none of you have any real training in the military, so I do not blame you if you do not know which weapons will suit you best. That is why I will handle selecting the weapons and supplies for each of you. No need to worry, I will make sure you are all fit to take on any challengers, even though I've had no time to train you." He said firmly, nodding at each of us.

"Who made you the leader, soldier boy?" Natsu snapped, throwing a dangerous looking knife up in the air and catching it. The soldier reached out and snatched the knife away from him.

"Please don't play with the weapons. They are very dangerous. It's not a toy." He scolded. Natsu raised his eyebrows and tilted his head.

"You think I'm stupid?" He challenged. The soldier faced him and crossed his arms.

"Only the incompetent would play with weapons." He sneered. Natsu bared his teeth.

"I don't know what incompetent means, but I think that was an insult. You want to fight, punk?" Natsu fisted his hands and raised them up. The soldier laughed.

"I most certainly do not want to fight. I think you need to take it back a step and remember where you are." He said through barely restrained anger.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Way I see it, we're all in the same rank. I'm here, just like you, which means I'm just as strong as you. I don't need you to tell me how to fight." Natsu hissed. Gray rolled his eyes.

"You've never had military training. And I guarantee that you need it for this mission. So as much as you think you're important, you're not. I could do this whole thing by myself. I just need some extra bodies as extra protection and black knight fodder." He said arrogantly. Natsu was about to explode on him again when Lucy stepped in.

"Excuse me? Black knight fodder? You better watch your mouth, soldier boy. Just because you had the resources and the money to be able to join the army doesn't mean you can look down on people who don't have the same training or practice that you do." She hissed, sliding a long machete out of its scabbard. Gray turned to her and frowned.

"I don't even know why they allowed women to be on this mission. It's far too dangerous, and you'll just be in the way. I'm sorry, I don't mean to be rude, but no matter how good you are with that sword, it won't matter against the black knights." He replied coolly, causing anger to flare through Lucy's eyes. She was about to spout acid back at him, but Natsu beat him to it.

"You know you should shut up right about now. There were hundreds of volunteers from the town and three of them made it through, two of them women. So that shows what you know about women and their strength. I'd like to see you take all three of us in hand to hand combat. We'd crush you." He growled. Lucy glanced at him for a split-second before looking back at Gray. Gray sighed and rolled his eyes.

"That won't be necessary. I know that no matter what I have to say about it, Sir Gildarts is convinced that you are needed for the mission. That's why I'll pick the weapons for you. Unless you'd rather I keep you from taking any weapons at all?" He smirked, causing Lucy to stomp her foot in indignation.

"You can't do that." She shot.

"Try me." Gray snapped.

The three of them then squared up as though they were going to start fighting right then and there. I couldn't believe what was happening. All I could think about was how much time we were wasting and how stupid this whole fight was. Why in the world were we even talking about this? Sure, Gray had said something completely sexist and ignorant, but it didn't matter because there was nothing he could do about it. And now the others were trying to fight him for it? How did any of that make sense?

" _Stop_ it!" I cried, throwing my hands up.

The three of them paused and turned to look at me. I stepped in between them and shoved Gray backwards, causing him to stumble and bang into a rack of shields. Lucy sniggered and I rounded her, causing her to fall silent immediately. I took a threatening step toward Lucy and Natsu and they stumbled backwards in fear.

"You are all acting like absolute babies. We only have one damn hour to do this before we have to work together to accomplish this mission. So we can stop arguing and actually get something done?" I cried out, looking at all of them with wide eyes. Gray pushed himself up and straightened his back.

"My thoughts exactly. Now, if you would let me give you my take on the weapons I think you should all have—"

"No, you shut up. Nobody wants your opinion, so you can can it and sit in a corner." I snapped, holding up my hand. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and was about to talk back. I gave him a death glare and his mouth snapped shut. He trudged off and Natsu yelled after him.

"Yeah, you better run! Your tail looks good when it's between your legs!"

"And you!" I exclaimed, rounding on Natsu, who cringed in fear. "Stope picking fights with people. You're too easily angered and you need to cool it. Go pick out your damn weapons before I stuff them down your throat." Natsu yelped and scurried off. I was about to yell at Lucy as well, but she was already chasing after Natsu, yelling at him to not leave her with the scary lady.

I sighed and rubbed my temples, feeling the beginning of a headache. I had no idea why we were already fighting after the first day. It seemed surreal that these were the people I would have to work with. How could I work with them if they didn't work with each other? Would I have to become the mother of this group even though I most definitely wasn't the oldest?

I sighed and looked at the weapons on the wall. My own sword was still strapped to my waist, and I wasn't going to give up, no matter what swords I saw here. I'd forged the sword myself and I didn't trust anyone else to forge my swords. But maybe, I could take a few daggers. Finally, I decided on two wicked daggers that easily slipped into my boots and my sleeves if I needed a quick plan B if my sword was incapacitated.

With my weapons selected, I exited the armory and saw Gray and Sir Clive talking outside of a large wood building. There were four horse tied to a post drinking water, each of them supplied with a pack and a saddle on their backs. I made my way over to them and braced myself for any criticism. Gray noticed me and frowned, a pure look of disapproval passing over his face. I ignored him. Gildarts was smiling warmly.

"Erza! Have you made your selections?" He asked genuinely. I nodded and patted my belt.

"I should be prepared." I said. Gray scoffed and I glared at him, causing him to look away. Gildarts smiled and pointed to the horses.

"You have your pick of the lot. Except the white one on the end, that's Sir Fullbuster's. but any of the others, take your pick."

I walked over to the horse cautiously and eyed them, taking their features into account. There were two chestnut horses, one with a stripe down its nose, and other without any white. The third one was a smaller paint horse with black and cream patterns on its body. The white one on the end was tall and strong. A thoroughbred.

"These are our fastest and more resourceful steeds. The fully chestnut one is Prince Jellal's. We figured he would like to ride his own horse when he was rescued."

I narrowed my eyes at the fully chestnut thoroughbred and passed over it, feeling a sort of resentfulness toward it, just because the prince had ridden it before. I looked at the paint and the other chestnut and sighed. I didn't know which one to choose, since they both seemed fine. I walked up to them and stuck my hand out. Before either of the other horse had the chance to even notice what I'd done, the fully chestnut horse stepped forward and sniffed at my hand.

I jerked back, surprised, but then I left my hand out, allowing the horse to sniff at it and lick it, hoping for food. I smiled as it pressed its nose against my palm. Before I knew what was happening, it had stepped forward and pressed its face to my chest, causing me to scratch behind its ears. It let out a small nicker at my action and Sir Clive chuckled.

"She loves that." He said fondly. "The prince used to come out and just talk to her whenever he needed to talk to someone who wouldn't answer back. She's a good listener."

I smiled and nodded my head. Prince or not, this horse was special. It was the only one who'd taken interest in me, after all.

"What's her name?" I asked, stroking her neck.

"Heavenly." He replied. I smiled and nodded. It suited her.

I was just about to mount her, when Natsu and Lucy came into the view, bickering about something.

"You don't need seventeen sticks of dynamite. You already have like twenty in your belt. Where are you going to put the rest?" Lucy was saying.

"Look, you have your knives, and I have my explosives. We fight in different ways, okay? I like blowing things up. And what happens if I run out? So I have to take a whole bunch more."

"But where are going to put them?"

"In my pack! They're extras in case I run out. Listen, just worry about yourself and I'll worry about me, okay? I'm a big boy, I can do this myself."

"I still don't think you need that many explosives.

"That's your opinion."

"It's a good one."

I rolled my eyes as they approached. Gildarts stepped forward, catching their attention.

"Natsu and Lucy, it's good to see you as well. Please select a steed so the four of you can depart on your mission as soon as possible." He said, irritably. I smiled slightly, knowing that feeling well. It was an awful to watch them bicker, but at the same time, it was quite entertaining.

Lucy walked over to the horses and ignored the white one, without even being told she wasn't allowed to take it. She smiled as she stroked the other chestnut horse and picked up its bridle.

"I like this one." She said firmly.

"That's Loke. He's our most steadfast steed. He will be good for you." Gildarts said as Lucy mounted the horse.

I mounted Heavenly as Natsu cautiously poked the paint horse. It lulled its head toward him and snorted. Natsu stepped back slightly and then took its bridal.

"I guess this one's mine." He said, his voice shaking slightly. I pulled himself up and wobbled around unstably.

"That's Happy." Natsu stared at Gildarts as the horse moved a bit too much and he had to cling to its mane.

"The horse's name is Happy?" Natsu asked incredulously. Gildarts laughed as the paint hose stomped its foot, causing Natsu to whimper.

"Of course! He's the light of our army. He'll take good care of you." He promised. Natsu shook his head and gulped.

"Is this the first time you've ridden a horse?" I asked.

"No!" Natsu protested. "I just… haven't done it in a while."

"Fantastic…" Gray's sarcastic comment cause Natsu to snap his head in his direction as he smoothly mounted his thoroughbred. "Hopefully you can still keep up. I'm not going to wait for you."

Gildarts then told us the path we needed to take and reminded us of the amount of time we had for the mission. He reminded us that there could be nothing tying us to the military should we get caught, so Gray would have to change out of his armor before we reached Caelum. Then Gray turned around and guided his horse forward, nominating himself to take the lead. I nudged Heavenly forward and we were off, on the most important mission of which I'd ever been a part.

 _ **Leave a review! I promise I'll try to be more consistent in the future.**_


	8. Chapter 8

**_Happy Holidays! This is my early present to all of you. IDK when i'll be able to upload next, but i'll try for one more upload before the new year. Hope you enjoy!_**

Chapter 8:

 _Jellal_

I awoke to a splitting headache. The first thing I noticed was how sore my entire body was. The second thing I noticed was that I was upright, but I wasn't standing. I lifted my head up with immense difficulty, realizing that there were chains holding my arms up beside me and chains around my ankles, holding me in place. My arms were strained from the chains and my shirt was gone, so I was left in nothing but my pants, ripped at the bottom.

The memories of what had happened came back to me in a rush. The surprise attack, the arrows that came out of nowhere, killing my escorts in front of my face. The gleam of black eyes as a club stuck my head, knowing me out cold. Panic rose in my throat. The Black Knights found me and could have killed me. If they killed me then they'd have no problem taking my country.

Confusion filled me as I wondered why I was alive, and where the hell I was. I blinked and tried to focus on my surroundings, even though the pain in my head was making it hard for me to see straight.

It appeared that I was suspended in the middle of a dungeon of sorts. However, instead of cells like a prison, there were cages surrounding me for animals. But there weren't animals inside the cages. There were living people, leaning against the bars in anticipation, in fear, and in defeat. I felt my throat tighten at the inhumanity of putting someone in a cage like beasts.

The cage closest to me was small enough that the person inside could not stand up straight. Dark eyes stared at me fearfully, shrouded in thick matted black hair. My vision shifted as I realized that the girl was not the only one in the cage. She was huddled up against another, smaller girl with cherry pink hair. The smaller girl was asleep, leaning against the older one's chest. I felt a pang of sympathy for the two, who seemed like they barely had enough room to shift positions, much less move about.

I strained to look around the dungeons, noting the pitch black walls and the torches hanging on the sides for the minimal amount of light. I couldn't figure out where I was. Caelum would have killed me on sight, so that meant I must have been somewhere else. Did someone save me and then kidnap me themselves? Or did Caelum only capture me instead of killing me? None of it made sense, but I knew one thing. I was alive and therefore, there was still a chance.

"Sleeping beauty awakens."

I gasped slightly at the voice echoing around the dungeon. I craned my neck to try and see the person who had come in from the large doors behind me. The voice was as thick and sugary as molasses, but it was cold. There was no warmth to it. It was male, and yet I couldn't picture a face to match its unique sound.

I took a deep breath and braced myself as I heard the footsteps of the incomer's boots on the stone. I would not be intimidated, no matter who it was. I would remain calm and dignified. I was freaking Prince and I was going to act like it. And even though I was trying to give myself the best pep talk I could, my heart would not stop palpitating like it was having a seizure.

The incomer stepped in front of me into the light and I took in a sharp breath, almost forgetting my pep talk. The black and white robes were unmistakable and royal seal pinned on his shoulder seemed to blind me as I looked into the dark red eyes of the source of my nightmares. King Zeref himself.

He didn't look intimidating, if you avoided the color of his eyes. In fact, he looked like he could pass for a child. He looked younger than me with smooth white skin and bouncing black hair. His lips were curled into a light-hearted smile and even though the color of his eyes distorted his whole face, he looked like he was genuinely happy to see me hanging from his dungeons, like it was Christmas morning.

"Lord Zeref." I whispered.

Zeref's eyes flashed and suddenly, a whip slashed into my back, causing me to scream in pain and jerk, my bare feet scraping against the cold stone. I realized that while I was focusing on Zeref, I hadn't noticed the guard that had followed him and positioned himself behind me with a whip. Zeref sighed and clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" He asked, like he was reprimanding a child. "You know I had expected you to be brought up with better manners." My cheeks burned with both rage and embarrassment. However, I kept my mouth shut, feeling the blood trickling down my spine. If one lash could split skin, I didn't want to take any more chances.

"I am sorry about the abrupt way you were taken in, but I didn't want you to miss the spectacle." Zeref continued, a smile lifting his face. He leaned in close like he was going to tell me an important secret. "I'm going to burn your country to the ground, and you're going to get to watch with VIP seating!"

My eyes widened and my throat tightened. Zeref grinned and looked at me expectantly, like he wanted me to show the same amount of enthusiasm. I started trembling in both fear and anger and Zeref's expression slowly faded when he realized I wasn't going to match his eagerness. He frowned and the light vanished from his eyes in an instant, causing the guard behind me to strike me again, resulting in another shrill scream.

I clenched my fists and tried not to think about the pain in my back and my head and my arms, and pretty much everywhere on my body.

"You know I feel like you're undermining my value. I didn't have to come all this way to deliver the message. You should be happy, excited. I just gave you great news." He said simply, looking up at me with shining eyes. He stuck out his lower lip in an attempt to pout and I found myself baring my teeth in anger.

"You're a monster." I hissed, unable to keep my mouth shut any longer. Zeref sniffed and swiped at his dry eyes.

"That hurt my feelings." He complained as another lash struck my back, this time resulting in me coughing up blood. "You're not being a very good guest." He complained. I growled and spit blood at his feet.

"You're being a very good host." I snapped. I braced myself for another lash, when suddenly he started to giggle. I blinked and stared at him in confusion. His giggles turned into full on laughter after a few seconds and I felt fear bubble up in my stomach. He began to wipe actual tears from his eyes and grinned at me.

"I forgot how much fun you people are!" He exclaimed in delight. "You never give up hope, do you? So defiant, so brave." He chuckled a bit to himself, stepping a little closer. "Don't worry, we'll snuff that right out. Once you realize that there is nothing you can do to stop the fires of Caelum from engulfing your precious, worthless land, you'll break. Maybe you'll break sooner than that, when you understand that no one is coming to save you, and no one ever will."

I lost a breath and gasped to try and catch it again as Zeref began to laugh maniacally, walking back around me to leave. I felt tears well up in my eyes as the sound of his laughter followed me and echoed through my brain long after he'd left.

The shortness of breath refused to leave as the panic and despair started to settle in my head. I didn't want to die in here. I especially didn't want to watch as my country burned. If anything, I wanted to burn with them. I wanted to share the same fate as my people, whether it be prosperity, poverty, or total annihilation. Everything seemed like the end now. Was there really nothing I could do?

"P-Prince Jellal?" I turned towards the small voice coming from the cage closest to me. The girl with the large dark eyes observed me pitifully. "I'm sorry about your country." I gulped and felt the lump in my throat start to form. I nodded in gratitude and forced myself to look away before I started to cry.

"He's not bluffing is he? I asked, mostly to myself. "He's really going to destroy Edolas." I looked back at the girl who had looked away, her eyes shining with tears.

"He's going to take over the world. And no one can defeat him." She started to tremble as the younger girl grabbed her shoulder and hugged her tightly.

"There is one." I turned my head to the cage on the other side of me. An old man with a beard that could touch the ground wrapped his hands around the bar and peered up at me. "Tell me, young prince, do you know the legend of the Lost Princess of Caelum?"

I blinked at his question. Of course I'd heard the conspiracy theories. The theory was that King Caelum's daughter hadn't actually died in the fire and had survived. There were rumors of people seeing her and numerous accounts of people who claimed they'd sheltered her. But all the rumors were just that, rumors. There was no concrete proof. They'd found remains of the girl in the fire. She was dead.

"Those are just rumors." I said quietly. The princess of Caelum had been my playmate when I was a child. I barely remembered her, except for huge, piercing brown eyes. I couldn't even remember what color her hair was.

"What if they weren't?" The man prodded. "What if she'd survived, and fled to Edolas as her sanctuary. Maybe that is why Zeref wants to destroy it so badly." I stared at the man, his theory sounding preposterous to me.

"I need to think of actual solutions, not go chasing after some ghost." I said firmly. "They found the remnants of her body in the fire. She is dead. And believe me, if she was in my country, I would know about it."

"Would you?" The old man persisted, pressing his face in between the bars. "Hundreds of Caelum refugees cross the border into your country every year. Do you know about them?" I paused. I hadn't known about them. "More goes on in your country than even the King knows about."

"Who are you?" I asked quietly, eyeing the man's features.

"I am old and wise, and have been in this dungeon for many years. I've heard many things. Prisoners that are thrown in here because they tried to find the princess. Prisoners who were executed because they had information about the princess. Make no mistake. She's out there, and she could be our savior."

I gulped and looked away, not wanting to talk to him anymore. If the rumors were true, and princess was out there, I couldn't just find her and present her to Caelum's people. Firstly, she'd be my age by now, maybe a year or two younger. If she'd wanted to be queen, she would have tried to already. And even if I did find her, how would I even go about reinstating her as queen? Not to mention that I was still stuck in this prison.

It was hopeless. Even if she was out there, there was no way to find her and even if there was, it wasn't like I could just waltz out of here to find Zeref's one threat to his crown. No, it was better that I thought practical. I knew that Gildarts will have been told about my absence by now. He will have probably sent out a search party. And sooner or later, he would make the connection that it was Zeref who took me. All I had to do was wait for the rescue team to come for me. Everything was going to work out. I was going to be saved.

And then I was going to do everything in my power to stop Zeref's terrible threat on my people.

 ** _Leave a review!_**


	9. Chapter 9

**_Hey guys, sorry it's been forever and a half but i'm here now! TBH this was a really fun chapter to write. Enjoy!_**

Chapter 9:

 _Erza_

It had been a good four hours on horseback. Gray was still in the front with a compass in his hands. We were traveling north toward the border of Edolas and Caelum. There, we would change into our disguises and head into Caelum territory to head toward Caelum City, the capital of the country. Gildarts figured it would be the place where the prince would most likely be taken.

There, we would have to somehow infiltrate the castle and save the prince without setting off any alarms. Then we would have to return Prince Jellal to his fiancée before the week was over. Only then would Edolas be prepared for war, which was now inevitable no matter which way it swung.

The terrain had been pretty smooth so far, allowing us to ride in a smooth gallop for most of the journey. However, Caelum's landscape was much more treacherous than the plain fields and meadows of Edolas. That meant that further in the journey, we may end up walking our horses and carrying on the journey on foot. Gildarts asked us to avoid the main roads in as much as possible so as not to produce any rumors or cause trouble.

Heavenly was really living up to her name. She was smooth and stable in her gallop and it was not hard for me to maintain my balance. Natsu on the other hand was having a more difficult time. He was being thrown around and was slipping all through the ride. He was crying out and making a bunch of painful noises, keeping me awake. However, most of his misfortune was his own fault. His horse seemed to be taking very good care of him, even if he didn't think so.

As we neared the edge of a large wood, Gray slowed down to ride in step with me. He pointed at the wood in front of us.

"That's the border!" He cried out over the wind. "We should camp there for the night!" the orange sky agreed with his statement and I nodded. He took his pace in the front again as Natsu let out another shriek and Lucy laughed.

Finally, we reached the edge of the wood and Gray slowed to a stop with the rest of us following suit. I slid off Heavenly's body and groaned in relief. The inside of my thighs and my behind were aching tremendously. Natsu all but fell off his horse and crawled toward the wood, ducking behind a tree to throw up. I wrinkled my nose and turned away as the smell reached my nose.

"Gross." Lucy said, pinching her nose. Natsu's face reappeared to glare at her, only to duck behind the tree again.

"At least he held it in until we stopped." I said, crossing my arms. Lucy giggled and then wrinkled her nose again, probably realizing that if he hadn't held it in, it would probably be all over her.

"I found a clearing." I turned toward Gray who had just stepped out of the wood. I already tied Silver there. We should camp there for tonight. Tomorrow we should spend traveling to Caelum city. Then we need to come up with a plan."

"First we have to make sure the prince is actually in Caelum City." I said, taking Heavenly's bridle and following Gray into the forest. Lucy led both her horse and Natsu's horse as Natsu trailed behind weakly.

"Where else would he be?" Gray asked. I frowned and narrowed my eyes at him as we entered the clearing. I tied Heavenly next to Gray's horse and grabbed the pack off her back.

"Just like Edolas has a separate prison that's kept away from the citadel, Caelum may have the same thing. I'm just saying we shouldn't assume he's there. I think we should ask around, find out where the common people think they would take them." I said matter-of-factly, pulling out my sleeping bag.

"Why would ordinary citizens know anything about prison?" Gray asked, tossing bits of firewood in the middle of a clearing to make a fire. Natsu was leaning against a tree as Gray approached him and snatched his box of matches away from his belt.

"I think they'd know better than anyone. They're the ones that have to worry about prison the most. Especially in an oppressive environment like Caelum." Gray narrowed his eyes, but didn't say anything as he lit the fire and tossed the box of matched back at Natsu.

"What do you think we should do, Erza?" Lucy asked, plopping down in front of the fire. Natsu slowly sat down next to her, holding his stomach weakly. She whirled on him and brandished his finger in front of his face.

"If you're going to throw up again, you better sit somewhere else because I will cut off your tongue if it gets on me." She threatened sharply. Natsu's eyes widened and his snapped his finger to his mouth, covering it with his palm. He slowly inched away from her, hands trembling.

"I think we need to ask the citizens about all the prisons in the area and then decide based on what we hear about them. I don't think he would be sent to some remote place because Zeref would want to keep him close. Which means that if the only prisons separate from the capital are far away, then our best bet is Caelum City. We just need to be careful. If we pick the wrong place, we might not get there in time. Edolas could fall and the prince could be killed because we made the wrong choice."

"Edolas won't fall, even if we fail." Gray came out into the clearing, stripped of his armor. He was now wearing a plain white shirt and some brown trousers. He sat down in front of the fire and crossed his arms. "Brogo will help. Edolas may be weak, but Brogo is strong. We will help defend this country. It was one of the reasons I was sent here."

"You're from Brogo?" Natsu asked, his voice coming out slightly hoarse from throwing up. Gray barely gave him an acknowledging glance and nodded.

"Were you not paying attention?" Lucy snapped, causing Natsu to glare at her and turn away to pout.

"I was sent to help with this cause because I am the fastest rider Brogo has. Queen Ur has promised to send her troops to help Edolas. We are strong and Edolas will not fall with Brogo as its ally." Gray said confidently.

"What if they kill him?" I asked. "Edolas won't have a leader. The country will fall without a leader."

"The King is still alive." Lucy protested. I rolled my eyes.

"Barely. He couldn't lead even if he wanted to. And the Royal Advisor? There is a reason he so desperately wants to make sure the prince is safe. He's not a ruler. He can only advise; not make the decisions a King has to make."

"And what would you know?" Gray shot, causing me to whip my head toward him. "You're a peasant, what would you know about the responsibilities of royalty?" I narrowed my eyes, but kept myself from bursting out with an answer. Instead, I calmed myself and thought rationally.

"I may be a peasant, but I watched my village burn in front of my eyes. I watched the prince try to save us with extra troops, but it only resulted in them dying as well. He had to make a decision. Send troops to try to save us, or let us burn and keep his troops. He made the wrong choice. We would have burned either way." I said quietly, wrapping my arms around my legs.

The thought hadn't even passed my mind until I'd said it out loud. It didn't matter if the prince wanted to save us at al. We would have died anyway. Simon and Kagura would have died no matter what. There was nothing the prince or anyone could do.

"I'm sorry." Lucy said quietly. I looked up and saw all of them looking at me with respect and sympathy.

"I had no idea." Gray whispered. I looked at him and saw that the hardness in his eyes had vanished slightly.

"I guess we don't really know anything about each other." Lucy said, crossing her legs. "I guess I'll go first. My name is Lucy and I'm a jewel thief. I decided to do this job because they offered a reward and a reward coming from a palace should be pretty hefty, if you know what I mean." She smiled and tossed a stone in the air.

"I'm Natsu Dragneel and I work in the mines."

"Figures." Lucy said, smiling. He glared at her, but didn't snap at her.

"I'm actually originally from Fiore. But I came to Edolas because I may have accidently blew up one of Fiore's capital buildings." He smiled sheepishly as we stared at him shock. "What? It wasn't really my fault. I was delivering oil and it may have accidently caught on fire when I went to light my cigarette."

"Crazy pyromaniac." Gray snarled, causing Natsu the whip his head around at him.

"Who are you to judge? At least I'm honest. And I don't smoke anymore so don't worry, you're perfectly safe." He growled. Gray snorted.

"I doubt that." He said brusquely. Natsu bared his teeth and Lucy had to step in.

"Guys! Really? It's the first night. You guys need to chill and just get along because we still have an entire mission to do together." The boys rolled their eyes and looked away from each other in a very immature fashion. Lucy sighed. "I bet neither of you have girlfriends." She prodded.

"Who needs a girlfriend?" Natsu shot. "They're loud and cranky and always want something from you. I don't want a girlfriend anyway." He pointed at her and smiled mischievously. "You probably don't even have a boyfriend." Lucy's cheeks reddened and she stomped her foot.

"Hey, I'm single by choice! I haven't found anyone that would be okay with my way of life. And even if they were, they'd still have to be handsome and have a good personality. I know what I want." She said crossing her arms.

"Hah, shallow much?" Natsu said, smirking. Lucy crossed her arms and glared at him.

"Remember that thing I said about cutting your tongue off? I hope you know I meant it." She growled, causing Natsu to laugh and raise his hands in surrender.

"You're both pathetic." Gray said, scoffing. Natsu glared at him.

"Oh yeah, like you're going to tell us that you have a girlfriend."

"I don't, actually, I have a wife." Gray said, smiling in triumph. Natsu glared.

"Wow, I'm surprised anyone could put up with you enough to marry you. I feel very bad for her, whoever she is. Can I offer my condolences?" He said, feigning sympathy. Gray clenched his fists and made to stand up.

"Shut up, freak. You can say what you want about me, but you don't insult my wife." He growled.

"That's funny, since you have such a low opinion of women." I said, speaking up for the first time. Gray paused and looked at me. I tilted my head at him and challenged him to argue with me. "You were so convinced that women shouldn't be a part of this mission so I'm surprised that you have any respect at all for your wife."

Gray narrowed his eyes and frowned.

"I protect her. She's not a fighter and she knows that. But she's smart enough to put the top physicians to shame. She's not a fighter, I am. I protect her and she accepts that. That is all I meant." He said, sitting back down.

"Really? So if your wife wanted to learn the ways of a sword, you'd let her?" I asked, gripping my knees tighter. Gray pursed his lips.

"Of course not. It's too dangerous for her." He let out quietly.

"It's too dangerous for her to learn to protect herself?"

"I protect her."

"And what if you're not around?" Gray paused, looking at me curiously. "What if she gets attacked while you're away? Don't you want her to be able to fend for herself without you around?" Gray looked away and I sighed, tightening my arms around my knees.

"What about you, Erza?" Lucy asked quietly. "Do have a special someone?" I felt my throat tighten and I buried my face in my knees.

"I had someone. He died." I said, almost choking on my saliva. I closed my eyes and tried to keep the tears from leaking from the corners of my eyes. I had already cried enough. There was no point in crying any more.

"I'm really sorry, Erza." Gray said, causing me to look up in surprise. He was giving me a look of total understanding. "I'm sorry you had to go through what you did. I never should have doubted you. I don't know what I'd do if my Juvia died. I don't think I'd be able to be as strong as you are."

"Aren't you a little young to be married?" Natsu said abruptly, causing Gray to focus his attention back on the salmon-haired idiot.

"At least I have someone. And no, I'm not too young. I'm a captain of Brogo's army and have lived on my own since I was thirteen."

"How old are you now? Sixteen?"

"Twenty, actually. So you can shut your trap."

"Dang, a whole twenty years old? I'm only nineteen, but still you're old."

"I am not old, you insolent freak."

"You're like a decrepit grandpa."

"Shut _up_!"

I smiled slightly at their shenanigans, watching as Gray dove on top of Natsu and the two started to brawl. Lucy jumped on top of them to try and stop them but only managed to entangle herself as well.

I sighed and shook my head, turning my attention to the fire. As much as I wanted to be angry with them for not taking this seriously, but I couldn't. I didn't know when they would have the chance to be this light-hearted again. Tomorrow came the real test. Tomorrow we would be entering the lion's den. God help us.

 ** _Anyone else love Team Natsu as much as me? Leave a review!_**


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